Israel acted decisively as Iran threatened annihilation, proving Jewish survival depends on strength, resolve, and unity.
At the 191st Pilot Course Graduation Ceremony at Hatzerim Airbase, Eyal Zamir disclosed extraordinary details behind Israel’s preemptive strike on Iran—Operation Rising Lion—underscoring Israel’s readiness to confront existential threats alone if necessary.
Zamir described the night between June 12 and 13 as historic. In a tense cabinet session, the final operational plan was presented and approved by a show of hands. A prayer for IDF soldiers was recited; the room was heavy with gravity. Within minutes, commanders raced to IDF headquarters as pilots were already airborne, awaiting final orders. Israel’s decision-making machine moved with clarity, discipline, and moral resolve.
At 02:55, dozens of precision strikes hit Iranian targets, adjusted mid-flight with real-time intelligence. Refueling aircraft, helicopters on standby, special forces, and ground crews worked in seamless coordination. Zamir praised the Israeli Air Force as Israel’s long-range strategic shield—operating at its very best when history demanded action.
Addressing the graduating pilots, Zamir made the stakes unmistakable: the responsibility to remove existential threats and ensure the survival of the Jewish state now rests on their wings. He recalled briefing pilots before the operation, warning that some would not return. Their answer was unanimous—“We are ready for the mission.” That spirit, he said, defines Israel’s ability to confront enemies on multiple fronts.
Since the failure of October 7, the IDF has adapted, investigated, and fought with unprecedented scope and precision across near and distant arenas. Zamir emphasized learning without paralysis—“We will learn from the failure, but we will not sink into it.” Citing the ancient truth that the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps, he affirmed Israel’s doctrine of striking those who rise to kill.
Zamir thanked families, commanders, reservists, and technical teams for sustaining the longest and most complex war in Israel’s history, and congratulated Omer Tishler on his appointment as incoming Air Force Commander. He closed by honoring fallen soldiers, supporting the wounded, and reiterating the sacred mission to bring Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili home.
Israel did not seek war. It chose survival. And when the moment came, its pilots were already in the sky.
