The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday (local time) that an F-35I fighter jet shot down an Iranian Yak-130 multi-role aircraft over Tehran, the first known victory of a US stealth jet against a manned aircraft, Bloomberg reported.
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However, the IDF has not released details of today’s incident. The Russian-made Yak-130 serves as a training aircraft as well as a light attack jet.
Livemint has not independently verified the authenticity of this video.
F-35: The “most dangerous” fighter jet in the world
Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 is the only fifth-generation fighter jet currently exported worldwide and is operated by nearly 20 countries, including the US. Israel received its first delivery of F-35s 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.
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According to an Al Jazeera report, the F-35 belongs to the stealth fighter family. According to the company’s official website, the F-35 Lightning II, the aircraft’s full name, is described as “the most advanced fighter jet in the world.”
As a stealth fighter, the F-35 is designed to avoid detection by radar and other technologies. It is equipped to deliver precision strikes on enemy air defenses and aircraft before they can react, helping to ensure control of the skies in conflict.
A group of US allies, including Australia, Canada, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom, participate in the F-35 program and contribute to its production and assembly. These partners either manufacture specific aircraft components or host assembly facilities where jets for their own air forces are assembled.
Much of its reputation as one of the “world’s deadliest, most capable and most connected fighter aircraft” comes from the integration of stealth technology, advanced sensors and powerful on-board computers within a single platform. The F-35 is designed to limit detection while gathering data about its environment earlier than other fighters. Furthermore, information from its 360-degree camera system and other sensors is processed and presented to the pilot in real time.
Iran’s limited combat aircraft fleet
While Iran possesses a sizeable arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles, its fleet of operational combat aircraft is limited, according to a Bloomberg report. Several of these aircraft were reportedly hit during Israeli and American airstrikes in the early stages of the conflict.
Earlier this week, Qatar said it shot down two Iranian Su-24 warplanes, the first confirmed case of manned aircraft being shot down by enemy fire in the ongoing conflict.
Israel targets Iranian security forces
On Wednesday, the US and Israel targeted Iran’s capital and several other cities in multiple airstrikes in the fifth day of the war, the AP reported. Tel Aviv targeted Tehran’s leadership and security forces as the Islamic Republic retaliated, launching rocket and drone fire at Israel and the region.
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In Tehran, residents were woken by explosions at dawn as state television broadcast images of a damaged building in the heart of the capital. The religious city of Qom was also hit along with several other places.
