The Night of 300: When F-15E Crews Ran Out of Missiles — Iran's First Direct Attack, April 13, 2024

On the night of April 13, 2024, Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel — the first time it had attacked Israel directly from its own territory. In the same sky, American F-15E crews fired off their air-to-air missiles — in about 20 minutes most of the fighters had fired all eight, Air & Space Forces Magazine wrote — and then tried a laser-guided bomb and the jet's gun against the drones that were left. This film follows that night as the records tell it: the two clocks of slow drones that took hours and ballistic missiles that took minutes, the bomb that missed, the crew chief who came out of the bunker to get the last jet airborne, the first combat use of the Navy's SM-3, and the 99 percent figure whose meaning is still disputed. It is told through Pentagon briefings, White House records, the Congressional Research Service, the U.S. Air Force's own accounts, and the crews' interviews with CNN, The War Zone and Air & Space Forces Magazine. 00:00 April 13, 2024 — a bomb that missed, and more than 300 air threats 00:42 April 1 in Damascus to April 13 — twelve days 01:33 11 p.m. in Israel — drones in eight hours, ballistic missiles in about 12 minutes 02:30 The 494th at Lakenheath — two F-15Es 03:06 20 to 30 dots on the radar — eight missiles gone in 20 minutes 04:27 After the missiles — a laser-guided bomb and the attempts that missed 05:17 Alarm red — the crew chief out of the bunker, and the second sortie 07:11 1 a.m. — the SM-3 above the atmosphere and Israel's share 08:50 Morning — straggler drones and the smoke trails left in the sky 10:05 Biden's statement and Iran's words — three capitals, three answers 11:16 The grading — what the 99 percent counted 12:41 Afterward — April 19 to the Silver Star at Lakenheath in November Where the records give different numbers or judgments — who stopped how much of the 99 percent, how many missiles reached Israel — the film says whose words they are. Corrections and additions with a source are always welcome. Sources · U.S. Central Command — "Defense of Israel Activities Update," April 14, 2024 · U.S. Department of Defense — Press briefings, April 2, 11 and 15, 2024; October 1, 2024 · The White House — Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials, April 14, 2024; Statement by President Biden, April 13, 2024 (DCPD-202400294) · Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents — April 10, 12, 13, 14, 2024; pool reports, April 13–14, 2024 · United Nations Security Council — S/PV.9602 and SC/15660 (April 14, 2024); letters S/2024/281, S/2024/305 · Israel Defense Forces — statements by Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, April 13–15, 2024 · Congressional Research Service — Insight IN12347 (April 13, April 22 and October 29, 2024), IN12274 · U.S. House of Representatives — H.Res. 1143 and Roll Call 141 (April 18, 2024) · Public Law 118-50 · U.S. Air Force — 48th Fighter Wing and 4th Fighter Wing releases, DVIDS (November 2024, March 2025) · Air & Space Forces Magazine — "Silver Star Airpower" (2024–2025); "From North Carolina to Shooting Down Drones in 22 Hours"; Mackay Trophy · The War Zone — interviews with F-15E crews (2024–2025), Navy Secretary on SM-3 inventory (2024) · CNN — "American fighter pilots explain how they fought an overwhelming Iranian drone swarm in total darkness" (November 15, 2024) · USNI News — April 14–15, 2024 · Begin-Sadat Center — Uzi Rubin, "Operation 'True Promise'" (June 2024) · Associated Press (September 3, 2024) · U.S. Energy Information Administration · FRED (S&P 500, VIX) The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. The 3D scenes are a directed reconstruction built from the records with carved models, not footage. The narration is a synthetic voice. #TheNightOf300 #IranAttack #IranIsrael #F15E #StrikeEagle #SM3 #USAirForce #BallisticMissileDefense #ModernWarfare #MilitaryHistory #Documentary #SANDTABUL SANDTABUL · Warfare, set out on the sand table. Battles, operations and the machines of war, re-staged in carved 3D and placed in the world that shaped them.