Capt. S made history when she became the first female pilot to join an Israeli Air Force (IAF) Adir F-35I squadron and was appointed Deputy Commander of the 116^th “Lions of the South” Squadron on Thursday.

Capt S. graduated from the IAF’s prestigious Flight Course in December of 2016 and is 26 years old.

She flew F-16s in the 107^th Squadron and later transferred to the 116^th Squadron – the IAF’s second Adir squadron, which became operational in August.

For the last six months, the squadron’s personnel were trained in the various scenarios that they were required to face as part of their preparation for the operational fitness inspection that took place last week.

Capt. S is currently the only woman in Israel to fly the F-35I jet.

The first Adir (mighty) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) squadron was declared operational by the IAF in December 2017. The Israeli F-35 was the first outside of the US to be declared operational, preceded only by the US Marine Corps and the US Air Force.

The fifth-generation fighter jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is considered one of the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft. Israel has acquired a total of 50 F-35s which are to be supplied by December 2024.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz took off on Wednesday night to Washington for “a security meeting” with US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and security meetings at the Pentagon.

Gantz stated ahead of his visit that he is “embarking on a short and important security mission in the United States, where I will meet with US Secretary of Defense Esper, and discuss very important issues for Israel’s security in the coming years.”

“We need to remember, that alongside the fight against Corona, our enemies are not resting for a moment, we saw what happened yesterday with the tunnel in the south and we know the challenges in all arenas. We will continue to take care of the State of Israel, both in Corona and in security,” he stated, relating to the terror tunnel running from the Gaza Strip into Israel that the IDF exposed this week.

Various sources indicate that this visit was organized in the last few days and was not prescheduled.

Also on Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff LTG Aviv Kohavi held a video conference with Chairman of US Joint Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley about “the current security situation in the Middle East.”

No further details were provided.

Israel’s southern border with the Gaza Strip saw several significant security incidents in the past 24 hours, leading some to believe that the area may be moving toward an escalation.

Just two hours after the IDF cleared for publication that it had exposed a terror tunnel dug from Gaza into Israel, terrorists in Gaza on Tuesday fired a rocket toward Israeli civilian targets.

An Iron Dome defense battery intercepted the rocket.

In response to the attack, Israeli Air Force aircraft struck underground Hamas infrastructure in Gaza.

“We will protect Israeli civilians from threats above and below ground,” the IDF stated after the strike.

Earlier in the day, the IDF announced it has exposed a terror tunnel crossing dozens of meters into Israel.

The tunnel was exposed by the IDF’s advanced warning the system. The tunnel infiltrated into Israeli territory but did not breach the underground barrier meant to block the terror tunnels running from Gaza, the IDF emphasized.

“It should be noted that the tunnel did not pose a risk to localities at any stage, since it crossed Israeli territory only by tens of meters, and also because of the barrier,” the IDF said.

The tunnel will be demolished in the coming days.

“This is a violation of Israeli sovereignty, an attempt to terrorize our civilians and an abuse of international humanitarian aid. We hold Hamas accountable and stand prepared,” the IDF stated.

The IDF has exposed some 20 tunnels dug by terror groups and meant for offensive operations inside Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel “will continue to take determined action in all sectors for the security of Israel and against any attempt to attack our sovereignty or our citizens.”

Gadi Yarkoni, head of the Eshkol Council situated on the Gaza border, stated that “the construction of the barrier along the border proved itself and justified the investment.”

“For a moment we did not delude ourselves that the other side would stop trying the terror tunnels,” and the exposure “sharpens the notion that in the Gaza Strip there is never any real peace and the terrorist organizations continue with the terror.”

The US will remove Sudan from the US’ State Sponsors of Terrorism list, President Donald Trump announced, possibly a step toward the full normalization of ties with Israel.

“GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list,” Trump tweeted Monday.

“At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!” he added.

This significant diplomatic development appears to be another step taken by Sudan towards its reacceptance back into the international community and its normalization of ties with Israel.

Sudan appears to be on way to full normalization of ties with Israel, weeks after the Jewish state and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed a peace treaty.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in February in Uganda with Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al Burhan, a significant manifestation of the developing normalization between Israel and Arab and Muslim countries.

He also revealed that month that the first Israeli airplane passed over the skies of Sudan.

He explained that “vast changes are coming because Israel is now a power to contend with, and because collaboration with Israel helps you prepare, secure the future of your people and ensure a better future for your people. Securing the future, the safety of their people is obviously something on everyone’s mind, and the greatest threat to the security of the countries of the Middle East and countries in the world, is the attempt by Iran to arm itself with nuclear weapons.”

Israel and Sudan have reportedly maintained secrets ties in they have made much progress.

The establishment of formal relations between the countries has great potential for both in a variety of areas including security, economy, energy, agriculture and water.

Israel’s new Tourism Minister Farkash-Hacohen addressed the all-digital 2020 Christian Media Summit on Sunday and stressed the strong bonds between the Jewish state and the Christian world.

While the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought Israel’s tourism industry to a screeching halt, Farkash-Hacohen said Israel is using the forced hiatus to renovate infrastructure in preparation for millions of Christian visitors.

“We are here, and we are waiting for the day the skies open and flights to the Holy Land resume,” she told participants at the Summit.

“Israel’s ties with the Christian world are unbreakable – not even by a pandemic or an economic crisis,” Farkash-Hacohen said, noting that Jerusalem’s vibrant, colorful, tourist-filled streets were “another victim of the COVID19 shutdown.”

For many of the Christian tourists, Farkash-Hacohen said, “visiting Israel, the holy land, is not just a visit or a vacation, it is a transformative, inspiring and long-lasting experience. Coming here is ‘a vacation beyond belief’.”

She added that Christian tourism to Israel has grown from many countries in recent years, as groups and families came to Jerusalem, Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, among other sites.

“These sites are ready, waiting for the visitors to return,” she said.

Visiting Israel was the ultimate show of support for Israel, she told participants, detailing how tourists “support it in every way: they enhance its image, contribute to its economy and make a statement that they care.”

Farkash-Hacohen concluded her remarks by urging Christians all around the world to travel to Israel when possible.

“A temporary break is not the end – it is just time to breath before visiting once again. We feel confident that once international travel resumes – we will be able to welcome millions of Christian travelers again,” she stated.

The Christian Media Summit, organized annually by Israel’s Government Press Office, was held in a digital format for the first time, due to the pandemic.

It featured remarks by President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu among other leaders.