[1][2] A year later the squadron received an additional aircraft type, the Dassault Mirage III.

Coinciding with Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula following the Camp David Accords, and in order to continue operating the Mirages pending their sale to Argentina, when 253 left Eitam for Ramon in late 1981, the remaining 22 Mirages made their way to Hatzor to join 254 Squadron.

[1] 254 Squadron was operating both types when the 1982 Lebanon War broke out,[4] during which the Mirages continued flying combat air patrols.

Its Kfirs wore the standard four-tone camouflague used by all IAF delta-winged fighters at the time, though usually without the black identifications triangles common on the Mirages and IAI Neshers.

[5][6] While with 253 Squadron, the Mirages had received blue rudders with two white chevrons separated by a black band.