Israel's F-35I fighter jet downs Iranian jet in first dogfight
What's the story
An Israeli F-35I fighter jet shot down an Iranian YAK-130 in the first aerial dogfight of the ongoing conflict, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. "This is the first shootdown in history of a manned fighter aircraft by...F-35 'Adir' fighter jet," IDF said. The Russian-made YAK-130, which started production in the 1990s, is primarily used as an advanced training aircraft for pilots flying more sophisticated Russian jets like the SU-57. However, it can also be deployed as an attack aircraft.
Preemptive strike
IDF's preemptive strike on Iranian aircraft
Before this, on Sunday, the IDF launched a preemptive strike on Iranian fighter jets just before they were about to take off. Among the targeted aircraft were an F4 and an F5, which were already on the runway. According to the Jerusalem Post, Iran's air force, which includes the F-4 and F-5 fighters, is largely outdated and no match for Israel's F-15s, F-16s, and F-35s; however, the YAK-130 is more sophisticated than some of the others.
Historical precedent
Last IAF shoot down an aircraft in 1985
The last time the Israeli Air Force shot down an aircraft was on November 24, 1985, during a dogfight over Lebanon. In that engagement, an Israeli Air Force F-15 "Baz" shot down two Syrian MiG-23 fighter jets. Since the conflict started, Israel has sent additional troops into southern Lebanon and ordered residents of more than 80 villages to evacuate as the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said it was ready for an open war.