JERUSALEM (VINnews) — For the first time in Israeli Navy history, a female officer will take command of one of the service’s missile boats, the IDF announced.

Lieutenant Commander “Resh” — identified only by her rank and the first initial of her Hebrew name — will assume command of a Sa’ar 4.5-class missile boat during a handover ceremony Wednesday.

The appointment marks “a significant milestone in the operational and command activity” of the Navy, according to the military, and underscores the IDF’s “commitment to excellence, professionalism, and equal opportunity.”

The vessel Resh will command has played a key role in recent operations during the ongoing war, the IDF said. These include a large-scale December 2024 mission that destroyed much of the former Syrian regime’s naval fleet, the March 2025 elimination of senior Hamas official Ismail Barhoum, the November 2024 killing of a top Hezbollah aerial forces commander, and the interception of aerial threats.

Resh enlisted in 2016 as a naval cadet and has held several positions in the Navy. Her prior roles include serving as deputy commander of a missile boat and as commander of a Dvora-class patrol boat in the 916th Patrol Squadron.

The Sa’ar 4.5-class missile boats form a backbone of the Israeli Navy’s Missile Ship Fleet, known for advanced missile capabilities and participation in high-stakes maritime operations.

The historic command change highlights the increasing integration of women into combat roles across the IDF, building on earlier breakthroughs in naval service.