Israel said one of its F-35I “Adir” stealth fighters shot down an Iranian Air Force Yak-130 over Tehran on March 4, 2026, a claim that, if confirmed, would mark the first known air-to-air kill for the F-35.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the engagement in a statement carried by Israeli media, describing the target as a Russian-made Yak-130 and framing the incident as a historic first for the aircraft type. The Washington Post reported the IDF claim but noted the shootdown had not been independently verified.
The Yak-130, a twin-seat advanced trainer that can carry weapons in a light-attack role, has appeared in Iranian Air Force inventories in recent years and has featured in Iranian efforts to refresh aging combat aircraft fleets.
Israeli reporting described the aircraft as a Yak-130 “fighter jet,” though analysts typically classify it as a trainer and light attack platform rather than a front-line fighter.
Israeli outlets presented the episode as a rare instance of manned air-to-air combat involving the Israeli Air Force. The shootdown would represent Israel’s first air-to-air engagement with a manned aircraft in decades, citing the IDF account. Israeli said shootdown was be the first Israeli air-to-air kill of a crewed combat aircraft since the mid-1980s.
The claim emerged amid rapidly evolving regional fighting that has produced a mix of official statements, battlefield imagery, and posts by unverified social media accounts. In that environment, independent confirmation can lag official announcements, especially for engagements reported over heavily defended airspace.
Israel has not said what missile was used or where the aircraft crashed, and early reports offered few technical details beyond the IDF claim other than noting the shootdown occurred in the skies over Tehran.
