Operation "Diamond": How Mossad Stole a Soviet MiG-21 Fighter from Iraq

This article reconstructs the Mossad operation "Diamond" (1966), in which Israeli intelligence recruited an Iraqi Christian pilot, Munir Redfa, and hijacked a Soviet MiG-21 fighter to Israel. It describes the background, recruitment through disillusionment, preparation in Rome, and the escape itself.

The article, published on August 22, 2026, details the Israeli intelligence Mossad operation codenamed "Diamond" (also known as "Blue Bird"), during which a Soviet MiG-21 fighter was hijacked from Iraq in 1966. The story began in 1962 when Israel learned of the USSR's supply of the latest MiG-21 interceptors to Arab states. Air Force Commander General Ezer Weizman in April 1965 demanded that Mossad chief Meir Amit obtain a real aircraft for study. The key element of the operation was the recruitment of Iraqi pilot Munir Redfa, a captain and unit commander in Mosul. Redfa, being a Christian, faced discrimination and limited career advancement in the Iraqi army. Mossad made contact with him through a Jewish assistant in Iraq. Preparation included secret meetings at a cafe in Rome in January 1966 and a secret 24-hour visit by Redfa to Israel. The signal to start the operation was the song "Marhabtain, Marhabtain" on the Arabic service of Israeli radio. On August 16, 1966, Redfa took off from the Iraqi base but instead of the usual route turned west, covering nearly two thousand kilometers. Over the Israeli-Jordanian border, he was intercepted by two Israeli Mirage fighters and escorted to the Hatzor base. After landing, the Israeli Air Force conducted intensive tests of the MiG-21, completely wearing out the aircraft's tires. The intelligence obtained was passed to allies, including the United States. The operation strengthened Mossad's international reputation. Redfa himself began a new life under a different identity.