Israeli F-35 scores fighter’s first ever manned air-to-air kill over Tehran

Published March 4, 2026 12:00pm ET



An Israeli F-35 scored the fighter jet’s first-ever air-to-air kill on Wednesday, downing an Iranian jet over Tehran during Operation Roaring Lion, Israel’s part in Operation Epic Fury.

The Israeli army announced the kill on Wednesday, saying an Israeli Air Force F-35I “Adir” fighter jet had shot down a multirole Iranian Air Force Yak-130 fighter jet in a dogfight. As pointed out by the Israeli army, the shootdown marked the first time the fifth-generation aircraft had shot down a piloted enemy aircraft since it entered service over a decade ago.

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