The Islamic Republic of Iran has become the first country in the world to successfully shoot down fifth-generation stealth fighter jets, after successfully targeting two F-35 fighter jets belonging to the Zionist entity.
‘Israel’ used these advanced aircraft in its aggression on Iranian territory early Friday morning, which resulted in the martyrdom of several senior Iranian military commanders, along with a number of nuclear scientists and civilians, including women and children.
The Public Relations Department of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army announced in an official statement that Iranian air defense forces had managed to shoot down two F-35 fighter jets, in addition to a number of Zionist drones.
The Iranian Army announced the arrest of one of the pilots after the initial statement had indicated that the fate of the pilots remains unknown and is under investigation, with additional information to be released at a later date.
It is worth noting that the F-35 fighter jets used by ‘Israel’ are among the most advanced in the world in their class. The occupation acquired these aircraft from the United States, where the F-35 Lightning II is produced by Lockheed Martin, aerospace company.
‘Israel’ is one of the few countries permitted to operate this advanced fifth-generation stealth fighter under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The first batch of these aircraft arrived in the occupied Palestinian territories in 2016.
The version designated for the entity is known as the F-35I, and it is modified to suit the special operational needs of the Israeli army. It is characterized by its ability to evade radar, enabling it to carry out deep penetration missions into enemy territory, while reducing the likelihood of detection or interception.
However, in a major setback for the regime in Tel Aviv and its American allies, the Iranian army was able to shoot down two of these advanced fighter jets during the confrontation that erupted on Friday, marking a significant development in the balance of air power in the region.
In the same context, television reported that Iranian forces shot down an Israeli drone in the city of Salmas in West Azerbaijan Province.
Separately, the Iranian Police Information Center announced the destruction of five drones by border guards in various parts of the country.
According to a police report issued at dawn on Saturday, one drone was destroyed in Urmia, three drones in Ardabil, and one drone in Marivan.
This unprecedented event signals a significant shift in regional air power dynamics, especially as Iran also intercepted multiple Israeli drones over its territory, underscoring its expanding aerial defenses amid ongoing Israeli aggression.
Source: Iranian media and Al-Manar English Website