Israeli F-35I downs Iranian fighter jet in first air-to-air kill in four decades
First-ever downing of a manned fighter by an F-35 underscores Israel’s aerial edge.
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has shot down an Iranian Yak-130 fighter jet over Tehran, marking the first time in roughly 40 years that Israel has engaged in air-to-air combat with a manned aircraft. The IAF confirmed the strike, which also represents the first-ever downing of a manned fighter jet by an F-35.
The last air-to-air engagement by the Israeli Air Force occurred on November 24, 1985, when an F-15 intercepted two Syrian MiG-23s over Lebanon.
The strike comes five days into a renewed confrontation that has already eclipsed Operation Rising Lion, the 12-day conflict in June 2025. In the current campaign, Israeli aircraft have dropped more than 4,000 bombs in just four days and conducted 1,600 sorties, the military reported.
The sustained bombardment, according to the IDF, targets Iran’s strategic capabilities. Military officials emphasized that continuous airstrikes are aimed at ballistic missile arrays, air defense systems and regime headquarters, with more than 300 Iranian missile launchers reportedly destroyed since the start of the operation.
