Major Mariam Al Mansouri

Al Mansouri, 35, wanted to serve as part of the Emirati Armed Forces ever since she was a teenager.

But as an adult, she had to spend several years working at General Command before the UAE finally relaxed its ban on women joining the military service.

She became the UAE's first female Emirati airforce pilot in 2007 and is now a veteran squadron commander working with the F-16 fighter jet.

She told the UAE newspaper The National earlier this year that she had received no special treatment because of her gender and gained widespread support from her command, her trainers and her colleagues.

She advised women wanting to follow a similar career path to "be prepared as it is a time and effort-consuming field that requires a great deal of passion".

US president Barack Obama has issued a call to arms against Isis' "network of death", warning militants from the group to "leave the battlefield while they can".

Al Mansouri was one of a number of pilots taking part in strikes on Isis targets inside Syria on Monday evening. She led the UAE arm of a joint mission between the U.S. and five Arab states - Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE.

We think it's a depressing indictment when a woman of her stature has worked so hard to overcome barriers and get where she is - only to cut down by thoughtless, petty and juvenile comments such as those on Fox News this week.

“Boobs on the ground”: Fox News presenters mock female pilot who led Isis bombing mission