The US Air Force has recognized the valor of its pilots, aircrews, and support personnel for their critical role in thwarting a large-scale Iranian-led rocket and drone assault on Israel earlier this year. The attacks, which occurred on April 13-14, marked one of the largest air-to-air enemy engagements in over 50 years.

The ceremony, held last week at Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath station, celebrated the achievements of the 494th Fighter Squadron and the 494th Fighter Generation Squadron. Air Force personnel were lauded for intercepting and neutralizing hundreds of rockets and drones launched from Iran and Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen. Their efforts helped protect Israel during the coordinated strike.

F-15E fighter jets, deployed from the UK-based RAF Lakenheath to the US Central Command’s operational region, played a crucial role. Over the course of the night, the jets conducted 154 sorties, engaging enemy threats in a high-stakes defense mission. President Joe Biden personally praised the Air Force personnel in a phone call during the event, underscoring their extraordinary contributions.

The ceremony saw several notable awards, including two Silver Stars—the US Air Force’s third-highest honor for valor. Maj. Benjamin Coffey and Capt. Lacie Hester received the prestigious awards for their actions during the mission. Capt. Hester made history as the first woman in the Air Force to receive a Silver Star, and only the 10th woman in the Department of Defense to achieve the honor.

The mission faced intense challenges, including severe aircraft emergencies and falling debris caused by hostile fire. Coffey and Hester engaged enemy drones at low altitude in complete darkness, using their F-15E’s air-to-air gatling gun after exhausting their missile supply. “We all fell into an execution rhythm: call, shoot, and confirm the target was destroyed before we moved on to the next task we had to accomplish to keep everyone safe,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Causey, the 494th Fighter Squadron commander.

In total, US forces eliminated more than 80 drones from Iran or Yemen during the operation. The attack, in retaliation for the killing of two Iranian generals in a Damascus strike attributed to Israel, involved over 300 rockets and drones. Israeli air defenses, working in conjunction with US-led coalition forces, managed to intercept most of the threats. While damage in Israel was minimal, some injuries were reported, including a young Bedouin girl who was critically injured by falling shrapnel.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)