With that award, Hester is the first woman in the Air Force to receive the Silver Star and the 10th woman in the Department of Defense’s history. Together, the Air Force said Coffey and Hester’s squadron shot down 70 drones and three ballistic missiles.

Air Force Lt. Col. Timothy “Diesel” Causey was one of six service members to receive a Distinguished Flying Cross with valor on Nov. 12, 2024, for his actions to defend Israel against an Iranian air attack on April 13-14. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)

The Air Force has awarded the Silver Star to a female airman for the first time following her role in the shootdown of more than 80 Iranian drones that were part of Iran's large missile and drone attack on Israel in mid-April. NOTE: The video is from a previous report.

On the night of April 13, Iran launched more than 300 ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, an attack in response to a missile strike on Damascus, Syria, that had killed a top Iranian commander. US military aircraft and naval ships went to work that night in Israel's defense,