The night of April 13, 2024, etched a new chapter in Middle East tensions, with American pilots playing a critical role in defending Israel against an unprecedented Iranian drone and missile barrage. Following an earlier Israeli strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus that killed senior Revolutionary Guard officers, Tehran launched “Operation True Promise.” While intended to signal strength, the attack saw many Iranian missiles and drones destroyed before reaching their targets, largely thanks to the swift and decisive actions of the U.S. Air Force.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the interception of over 80 Iranian drones and six ballistic missiles. A documentary released by the U.S. Air Force, titled ‘Dangerous Game,’ offers a visceral account of this intense night from the perspective of F-15E Strike Eagle pilots. The film details the extreme tactical, psychological, and operational pressures faced by American forces.
The context for this escalation dates back to the October 7th Hamas attacks, which sparked wider regional conflict. The Damascus embassy strike on April 1st, targeting senior Iranian military figures, was a direct precursor to Iran’s retaliatory actions. Adding to the volatility was a January drone strike on Jordan’s ‘Tower 22,’ which tragically claimed the lives of three American service members. This event deeply affected pilots, with Major Benjamin noting, “After the Tower 22 attack, everything became personal. The deaths of American soldiers were a huge shock. We knew we would be called to protect our comrades soon.”
The Iranian assault prominently featured the inexpensive yet formidable Shahid-136 drones. These unmanned aerial vehicles, capable of low-altitude flight and significant speed, posed a unique challenge. Their mass production and design aimed at evading radar presented difficulties for traditional defense systems. Pilots employed innovative tactics, including utilizing ground-based targeting pods to detect the drones and maintaining strict radio silence, punctuated only by crucial callouts like “Drone there.”
The documentary vividly depicts the transition from a quiet night shift to a high-stakes combat engagement. Pilots were scrambled under emergency readiness orders, facing a threat far exceeding initial estimations. As F-15s launched into the darkness, radar screens filled with incoming threats. The declaration of ‘Focus Three’ indicated active radar firing, marking the commencement of combat. Pilots described the adrenaline-fueled experience, including the combat debut of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and daring low-altitude maneuvers.
Even as initial drone threats were addressed, the sky soon lit up with Iranian ballistic missiles. Tracking these was a monumental task, with debris raining down from mid-air intercepts. A red alert was issued, mandating aircraft arming and protective measures. The operational tempo was described as akin to a Formula One race, with refueling, rearming, and engine checks compressed into an astonishingly short timeframe. Returning to base under threat and with low fuel added another layer of peril, highlighting the immense bravery and skill demonstrated that night.