Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited the Tel Nof Airbase on Sunday and oversaw the operations of all squadrons active in the war, observing the capabilities of the airplanes and unmanned aircraft. Minister Gallant held a meeting with base commander, Brigadier General Ariel Dayan, and commander of the 106th squadron, Lieutenant Colonel M., and spoke with the air and ground crews of the 118th transport squadron. Gallant expressed his appreciation to the units for their precise and deadly offensive activity in Gaza, Lebanon, and other areas, and emphasized that the Air Force must continue to promote its readiness for any scenario on the northern border. "From here at the Tel Nof Airbase, I want to convey a crystal clear message: every Air Force strike in the Gaza Strip pushes us forward, both to achieve our goal and to bring back the hostages. The pressure on Hamas is effective. They are in a very difficult situation, and we are thrashing them," Gallant said at the end of the visit. Related articles: Minister of Defense meets White House Coordinator for Middle East 'Gaza operation success will also affect Judea and Samaria' 'This is a war to defend our home and we will win' 'Allow fallen firefighters to be buried in military cemeteries' Gallant also referred to the northern border. "Also in the north, the situation is similar. The more we intensify our operational achievements, the greater the chance of reaching a situation where we are not forced to go to war. We will continue to improve our operational achievements and I repeat the slogan I saw at the entrance to the base – 'No place is too far.’ This is the perfect slogan for the Air Force and the State of Israel. We will operate in every area and we will deal with everyone who attacked us, in order to ensure our safety and our existence." "In simple and clear words, I say that we have not started yet to activate all of our units and all of our special abilities. We have many, many things that are ready. The clear-cut instructions that I gave to the Air Force are to point the noses of the planes to the north, and to be prepared for any evil that may arise. We are prepared, we are ready, we maintain alertness. We have who to be proud of. We are proud of combat pilots in the air, on land, and at sea, in all situations – we know who we can trust," he concluded.
