From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 5, 2026
IDF airs video showing yesterday’s world-first F-35 downing of manned plane in Iran
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF releases footage showing the downing of an Iranian Yak-130 jet over Tehran yesterday by an Israeli Air Force F-35I fighter.
The incident marked the first-ever downing of a manned aircraft by an F-35, and the first time in some 40 years that the Israeli Air Force has engaged in air-to-air combat with manned aircraft.
According to IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, the Iranian aircraft had taken off from Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport “and posed a threat to our aircraft.”
“Completed, the target is down, continuing to strike,” the F-35I pilot can be heard saying in the video.
"ביצעתי, המטרה נפלה, נמשיך לתקיפה": תיעוד ראשון ממטוס ה״אדיר״ (F-35I) מפיל מטוס קרב איראני (YAK-130) מעל שמי טהרן.
חיל-האוויר ממשיך לתקוף עשרות תשתיות של משטר הטרור האיראני וסולל את הדרך ליצירת עליונות אווירית בשמי טהרן. pic.twitter.com/RGUX4x1bFK
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 5, 2026
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