In another act of antagonism, Iranian soldiers posed for pictures with uniformed Hezbollah militants on the Israeli border.  Lebanon (just north of Israel) harbors Hezbollah, supported and backed by Iranian money, training and equipment.  The uniformed soldiers in the photos bear Iranian and Hezbollah flags on their battle fatigues.  The caption below the pictures states, “We are arriving… near the Mother of Corruption, the accursed Israel; soon we will pass over their bodies, Allah willing.”

Iran, a staunch ally of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, now believes they have pushed their war front to the Israeli border (in Lebanon).  In October, Iran announced shipments of weapons to the Lebanese military and Hezbollah, for the express purpose of “improving security” and “combating terrorists.”  (Sounds a bit like the wolf guarding the chicken coup!)

On a similar note, Iran continues to conduct large-scale military training exercises in the Persian Gulf.

On a totally different note, the IAF (Israeli Air Force) apparently seeks to put more women in the cockpits of military aircraft.  According to The Times of Israel, 38 women (including 3 combat pilots) have graduated from the IAF’s flight school.  Impressive, given that Israel’s air force is known as one of the best in the world, and that only about 10% of candidates accepted into IAF flight school actually finish.  I am always taken aback by the youthfulness of the Israeli military.  (You will find a picture of 5 recent female graduates in the link above.  All five look like high school kids! In Israel, males and females are both required to serve their country…males for 3 years, females for two.  They enter the military at age 18 and are quickly given very significant responsibility.)

Who knows…female IAF pilots may be called upon to defend the state of Israel, should the Iranians and/or Hezbollah choose to make a move along the Lebanese border.  Whether men or women are prepared for those missions, let’s pray they never have to conduct them!