Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday (local time) said that an F-35I fighter jet shot down an Iranian Yak-130 multirole jet over Tehran, making it the US-made stealth jet’s first known air-to-air victory against a crewed plane, Bloomberg reported.
The IDF, however, did not share details of today’s incident. The Russian-built Yak-130 serves both as a trainer aircraft and a light attack jet.
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F-35: World’s ‘most lethal’ fighter jet
The F-35, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is the only fifth-generation fighter aircraft currently exported worldwide and is operated by nearly 20 countries, including the US. Israel received its first F-35 delivery in 2016, when it initially ordered 50 aircraft. In 2024, the IDF approved the purchase of an additional squadron of 25 jets, which are expected to be delivered by 2028.
According to a Al Jazeera report, the F-35 belongs to a family of stealth strike fighters. According to the company’s official website, F-35 Lightning II, the aircraft’s full name, is described as “the most advanced fighter jet in the world”.
As a stealth fighter jet, the F-35 is designed to avoid detection by radar and other technologies. It is equipped to carry out precision strikes on enemy air defenses and aircraft before they can respond, helping secure control of the skies in a conflict.
A group of US allies, including Australia, Canada, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom, take part in the F-35 programme, contributing to its manufacturing and assembly. These partners either produce specific components for the aircraft or host assembly facilities where jets destined for their own air forces are put together.
Much of its reputation as one of the “most lethal, survivable, and connected fighter aircraft in the world” comes from its integration of stealth technology, advanced sensors, and powerful onboard computing within a single platform. The F-35 is designed to reduce detection while collecting data about its environment earlier than other fighter jets. Further, information from its 360-degree camera system and other sensors is processed and presented to the pilot in real time.
Iran’s combat aircraft fleet limited
Although Iran possesses a substantial arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles, its fleet of operational combat aircraft is limited, a Bloomberg report suggests. Several of those planes were reportedly struck during Israeli and US air raids in the early stages of the conflict.
Earlier this week, Qatar said it had downed two Iranian Su-24 warplanes, making it the first confirmed instances of crewed aircraft being shot down by hostile fire in the ongoing conflict.
Israel targets Iran’s security forces
On Wednesday, the US and Israel targeted Iran’s capital and several other cities in multiple airstrikes on the fifth day of the war, AP reported. Tel Aviv targeted Tehran’s leadership and security forces as the Islamic Republic retaliated and launched a barrage of missiles and drones on Israel and across the region.
In Tehran, residents were jolted awake by explosions at daybreak, while state television broadcast images of a damaged building in the heart of the capital. The religious city of Qom, along with several other locations, was also hit.
