#operation opera

Enemies of Israel take note: We will reach you, near or far.

Operation Opera – The Bombing of Iraq's Osirak Reactor

On June 7, 1981, a squadron of Israeli Air Force jets (including one piloted by Ilan Ramon, later Israel's first astronaut) flew to Iraq and destroyed the Osirak reactor without suffering any losses. 

Years later, the operation's lead pilot, Ze'ev Raz, said of the mission, "Of course it was a miracle. How is it possible that even after we bombed the reactor not one plane tried to down us? ...We flew back as the sun was setting. But since the planes were traveling at such a fast speed, the sun was out all the time and never set.

It was as though it remained standing in the middle of the horizon. At that time we pilots all radioed each other reciting the same exact biblical verse –Joshua 10:12: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Ayalon.' You know, as I am recalling this now I am getting goose bumps.”

As told by Norton, the Israeli jets flew more than 600 miles in the skies of three supposedly enemy nations: to reach the target, the first country that the aircraft overflew was northern Saudi Arabia and its deserts.

The route over Iraq was planned not only to avoid the radar coverage but also the airfields; inbound to the target the F-16s flew at an altitude between 150 and 300 ft.

At 17:35 with the sun at their back complicating any intercept attempt, the aircraft arrived over the target: before releasing their bombs the F-16s lit their afterburners at about 12.5 miles from the nuclear plant, climbed to 8,000 ft and then dived at 600 kts releasing their Mk. 84s at 3,500 ft.

The weapons were delivered on target by two waves of four Falcons each.

This month we have the following amazing singers performing: 

Samantha Britt

Steven Tietjen

Gregory Spock

Renee Holzmeier

Mary-Hollis Hundley

La-Toya Lewis

Margaret Newcomb

Bevin Hill

Melanie Goerlitz

Lisa Flanagan

Olivia Custodio