"Israel launched world's first air strike using F-35 stealth fighters," IAF chief says

“Israel launched world’s first air strike using F-35 stealth fighters,” IAF chief says

By Dario Leone
May 22 2018
Share this article

“We are flying the F-35 all over the Middle East and have already attacked twice on two different fronts,” Maj Gen Amikam Norkin, IAF chief

The F-35 stealth fighter has seen its first ever combat action, flying in an operation for the Israeli Air Force (IAF).

On May 22, 2018 in fact Maj Gen Amikam Norkin, IAF chief, told heads of 20 foreign air forces meeting in Israel at the International Air Force Commander Conference that “The ‘Adir’ (F-35I) aircraft are already operational and flying combat missions. In fact, we have performed the first operational F-35 strike in the world. We attacked twice in the Middle East using the F-35 (and) we are the first in the world to do so. The Israeli Air Force is a pioneer and a world leader in operating air power.” He did not specify the targets.

“Israel launched world’s first air strike using F-35 stealth fighters,” IAF chief says

“You know that we just won the Eurovision with the song ‘Toy.’ Well, the F-35 is not a toy,” he said.

According BBC, Israel’s claim to have used it in an operational strike even before the Americans may be designed as a further show of military strength, since it is believed that elite Iranian forces are trying to entrench themselves in Syria to threaten Israel.

Israel said its recent air strikes inside Syria targeted Iranian military infrastructure, in response to rocket fire aimed at Israeli military positions in the occupied Golan Heights.

“Over the past weeks, we understood that Iran was transporting long-range missiles and rockets to Syria, among which are ‘Uragan’ missile launchers which we attacked, just north of Damascus,” Maj. Gen. Norkin added. “The Iranians fired 32 rockets towards Israel. We intercepted four of them, while the rest fell outside of Israel’s territory. Afterward, we attacked dozens of Iranian targets in Syria. Sadly, the Syrian air defense systems fired over 100 SAM (Surface-to-air missiles) at our aircraft using SA-5, SA-17, and SA-22 missile batteries. In response, we destroyed their SAM batteries. A short time later, we destroyed a 20-meter deep Hamas tunnel.”

IAF to purchase 17 more F-35Is

Iran has hundreds of personnel in Syria, who it says serve as military advisers to the Syrian army. It has also sent thousands of volunteer fighters in support of the Syrian government.

The U.S. has given Israel more military aid than any other country in the world – currently around $4bn a year – and its laws on arms sales require that Israel always maintains military superiority in the Middle East.

Israel has praised the Lockheed Martin F-35 as a “game-changer”.

This may not even be its first use by Israel. Its military is often quiet about its operations and there were reports that the stealth fighter had been used operationally as early as January last year.

Israel, the first country outside the U.S. to acquire the fifth-generation fighter, has received nine of the 50 F-35s it has so far ordered, and could take up to 75.

Noteworthy Israeli F-35 deals have been severely criticized because the aircraft are more expensive than those purchased by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) since they feature several unique (and indigenous) systems to satisfy IAF operational requirements.

However Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman explained last year that “The F-35 squadrons are the pinnacle of technology, and will assist the IDF and air force in meeting the many security challenges Israel faces head-on. They are a central aspect in protecting the safety of the people of Israel along the country’s borders and even away from them.”

All planes ordered by IAF (five of which have already been delivered) belong to the F-35A variant named F-35I Adir (Mighty) in Israel.

Nevertheless, as we have already explained, the service is taking a serious look at buying several samples of the F-35B STOVL variant to replace part of its fleet of legacy F-15s.

F-35A print
This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. F-35A Lightning II 56th OG, 61st FS, LF/12-5050 / 2014

Photo credit: Lockheed Martin and Major Ofer / Israeli Air Force

Artwork courtesy of AircraftProfilePrints.com


Share this article

Dario Leone

Dario Leone

Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviation Geek Club” one of the world’s most read military aviation blogs. His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. He has reported from Europe and flown Super Puma and Cougar helicopters with the Swiss Air Force.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share this article


Share this article
Share this article

Always up to date! News and offers delivered directly to you!

Get the best aviation news, stories and features from The Aviation Geek Club in our newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.



    Share this article
    Back to top
    My Agile Privacy
    This website uses technical and profiling cookies. Clicking on "Accept" authorises all profiling cookies. Clicking on "Refuse" or the X will refuse all profiling cookies. By clicking on "Customise" you can select which profiling cookies to activate.
    Warning: some page functionalities could not work due to your privacy choices