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From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Israeli Air Force F-35 shoots down Russian-made Iranian jet over Tehran
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
An F-35I fighter jet flies during training for Israel's Independence Day in Jerusalem, April 19, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
An Israeli Air Force F-35I fighter jet shot down a Russian-made Iranian Yak-130 jet over Tehran a short while ago, the IDF says.
It marks the first-ever downing of a manned aircraft by an F-35.
It also marks the first time in some 40 years that the Israeli Air Force has engaged in air-to-air combat with manned aircraft.
The last time IAF jets shot down a manned enemy aircraft was on November 24, 1985, over Lebanon. In that incident, an IAF F-15 downed two Syrian MiG-23 fighters.
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