Pentagon Debuts New Missiles, Drones and AI as Israeli F‑35I Records First Manned Fighter Kill in Iran War
As the Pentagon showcases new missiles, drones and AI to flex U.S. military muscle in the region, the Israeli Air Force released gun‑camera video it says shows an F‑35I "Adir" shooting down an Iranian Yak‑130 over Tehran — an engagement Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar called a "historic" first manned fighter kill tied to Operation Roaring Lion. The downed aircraft, a Russian‑made Yak‑130 training/light‑attack jet delivered to Iran beginning in 2023, highlights Tehran's recent air‑force modernization.
📌 Key Facts
- On March 5, 2026, the IDF publicly released gun‑camera video it says shows an Israeli F‑35I 'Adir' shooting down an Iranian Yak‑130 over Tehran.
- The Israeli Air Force described the engagement as occurring over the Iranian capital and called the shootdown a key milestone for its F‑35 fleet.
- Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar issued a message to the pilots calling the engagement a "historic shootdown over the Tehran skies" and tied it to Operation Roaring Lion.
- The downed aircraft was identified as a Russian‑made Yak‑130 training/light‑attack jet that Iran began receiving beginning in 2023 as part of its air‑force modernization.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
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March 05, 2026
12:50 PM
Video shows IDF F-35I ‘Adir’ shooting down Iranian fighter jet over Tehran
New information:
- IDF has publicly released gun‑camera video it says shows an Israeli F‑35I 'Adir' shooting down an Iranian Yak‑130 over Tehran.
- The shootdown is described by the Israeli Air Force as occurring over the Iranian capital and being a key milestone for its F‑35 fleet.
- Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar issued a statement to the pilots calling the engagement a 'historic shootdown over the Tehran skies' and tying it to Operation Roaring Lion.
- The article details that the downed Iranian aircraft was a Russian‑made Yak‑130 training/light attack jet delivered to Iran starting in 2023 as part of its air‑force modernization.