Lt. Col. (res.) A., who led the first Israeli planes deep into Iran, gave a special pre-mission briefing to the aircrews under his command. MK Matan Kahana, a friend of A., shared the story on his X account.
“Please, No Politics”
Matan Kahana included a message from A., who agreed to share the story but requested: “Please, please, no politics. In our formation were people from the kibbutzim, the settlements, moshavim, and the cities. Just as you know so well—the beautiful Land of Israel. Despite the fear and anxiety, we looked right and left, and charged together at the enemy. Historic moments. A special feeling.”
A. continued with words he had written for his family: “There will be plenty of time to share stories, to laugh and to cry… but I waited two weeks to share this. In the opening sortie, I was chosen to lead a formation of dozens of aircraft—we were the first to enter deep into Iran. I was in the first jet of the first formation, and with that came the most dangerous mission.”
סא”ל מיל’ ע’, קיבוצניק מהצפון וחבר יקר, הוביל את המטוסים הראשונים שנכנסו לעומק איראן.
סיפרו לי שהתדריך שלו לפני הטיסה הגורלית היה מיוחד.
התכתבנו קצת וביקשתי ממנו לפרסם את מה שהוא שלח למשפחתו עם תחילת הפסקת האש.
הוא אישר והוסיף:
“בבקשה בבקשה בלי פוליטיקה.
היו איתי במבנה… pic.twitter.com/g1GCX9i9vZ— Matan Kahana מתן כהנא (@MatanKahana) June 26, 2025
“I Knew I’d Do Everything to Complete the Mission and Return Safely”
He added: “In the days leading up to it, I didn’t have the courage to write a farewell letter—I don’t know why. Something inside me didn’t allow it, and I knew I’d do everything to complete the mission and return safely. The greatest challenge was to provide confidence and calm to the formation I was leading. At the end of the briefing, I chose to read to the incredible group around me a few lines from a song I love deeply.”
“I kept that note in my pocket throughout the war,” he said. “And I promised myself that instead of a farewell letter, I’d send you the note and the song if I came back safe and sound. Thank God we returned safely!”
The handwritten note he sent to his family includes the lyrics of the song Eretz Tzvi (“Land of the Deer”):
“In the dead of the night they rose
And struck at the ends of the earth
Like angels of lightning, they rose in flight
To restore the honor of man.”
