On April 13, Iran launched a massive attack on Israel, launching more than 300 drones, ballistic and cruise missiles. This unexpected scale of the attack became a test for the American military, which joined in to repel the attack to help the allies.
CNN reports this.
Among those who accepted the challenge were F-15 fighter pilots Maj. Benjamin “Irish” Coffey and Capt. Lacy “Sonic” Hester. As they told CNN, the conditions of the operation were extreme: they had to fly in complete darkness and the targets, stealthy Iranian drones, posed a difficult task even for high-tech aircraft. Hester noted that they initially did not know what to prepare for, as they considered the mission a standard mission.
During the battle, the pilots were forced to use all available weapons. Coffey recalled having to fly at low altitude, risking collision with the ground, to try to shoot down the drones with an onboard cannon. However, this proved to be too dangerous. As a result, 70 drones and three ballistic missiles were destroyed overnight. Despite the interception, some of the drones threatened not only Israeli territory, but also the US military base in the region.
At the base, the situation was chaotic: air defense systems shot down Iranian missiles, the remains of which fell on the runways. Officer Timothy “Diesel” Causey noted that pilots had little training for such a scenario, as flying multimillion-dollar fighter jets against cheap, mass-launched drones has become a challenge for a new generation of warfare.
The lack of weapons increased the difficulty. As Lieutenant Colonel Curtis “Voodoo” Culver explained, the combat missiles ran out after just 20 minutes of combat. Some planes had to land with unexploded ordnance in the wings, creating additional risk for crews.
On the ground, the military faced a choice: shelter in bunkers or continue preparing planes for new missions. Culver told of a mechanic who refueled planes under constant fire; His bravery aroused the admiration of all participants in the operation.
As a result of the night battle, many servicemen received awards for their bravery. Hester and Coffey received the Silver Star, Weeks received the Bronze Star, and Causey and Culver received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
This operation became a symbol of the changes in modern warfare. Culver noted that unlike traditional dogfights, pilots now have to protect civilian lives from the threat posed by drones, making warfare more complex and inhumane.
Earlier, Kursor wrote that the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon spoke for the first time about the explosion of a pager, as a result of which he was injured.
The Ambassador indicated that an instruction to press a button appeared on the pager screen and he followed this advice.
