Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force Yak-130 Shot down

On March 4, 2026, an Iranian Air Force Yak-130 Mitten was shot down over Tehran by an Israeli Air Force F-35I Adir stealth fighter, marking the first time in history an F-35 achieved an air-to-air kill against a crewed aircraft. The Yak-130, armed with R-73 missiles, had been conducting a counter-drone mission to intercept Israeli Hermes-900 UAVs when it was engaged and destroyed. The IDF confirmed the kill, noting the engagement lasted only seconds. Iran received 12 Yak-130s from Russia by late 2024. The incident was also the Israeli Air Force's first air-to-air kill of a manned aircraft since downing Syrian MiG-23s in 1985.