Israel Executes Daring Operation to Capture Soviet MiG-21 Fighter Jet in 1966
Sixty years ago, Israel carried out "Operation Diamond," a bold espionage mission that secured a Soviet MiG-21 fighter jet, significantly shifting the military balance before the Six-Day War. The operation, also known as "Blue Bird," involved obtaining the advanced MiG-21, then a top-secret asset of the Eastern Bloc and highly coveted by Western intelligence.
The mission began in 1965 after a meeting between Israeli Air Force Commander Ezer Weizman and Mossad chief Meir Amit, where Weizman requested a MiG-21. Mossad reopened an intelligence channel to Iraqi Air Force pilot Munir Redfa, a Christian facing discrimination and disillusioned by orders to bomb Kurdish villages. Using a sophisticated cover story, Mossad agents established secret meetings with Redfa outside Iraq. Ze'ev Liron from the Israeli Air Force managed direct contact, eventually revealing the Israeli connection and proposing defection with the aircraft in exchange for protection for Redfa and his family.
After months of preparation, including securing Redfa’s family, on August 16, 1966, Redfa took off from Iraq, ignored air traffic control orders, changed communication frequencies, and flew over to Israel. Israeli Air Force jets escorted the MiG-21 to Hatzor Airbase, where it landed at 8 a.m., marking a major intelligence coup. Test pilot Danny Shapira thoroughly examined the jet, providing crucial knowledge that helped Israel prepare for aerial combat in the upcoming war.
The operation drew global attention, with Western intelligence leaders visiting Israel to inspect the aircraft. The United States even temporarily borrowed the jet for research, though it returned a different MiG-21 model. Despite the success, Redfa’s personal life suffered; his wife struggled with the move, and the family later relocated to a Western country with Israeli assistance.
According to heritage researcher Lt. Col. (res.) Gideon Mitchnik, "Operation Diamond" combined intelligence, cunning, courage, and audacity, becoming one of Israel’s most impressive espionage feats and directly contributing to the Israeli Air Force’s dominance in the years following the Six-Day War.
