Israel's F-35 Downs Iranian Jet Over Tehran in Ongoing Strikes
The Israel Defense Forces announced the first air-to-air kill by an F-35I Adir during the tenth wave of Operation Epic Fury, a U.S.-Israeli campaign launched February 28 that has killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and targeted nuclear sites, missile facilities, and command centers. Iranian sources claimed downing an Israeli or U.S. jet near Lavasan, but no evidence supports this, while unverified rumors of Mojtaba Khamenei's death were contradicted by Reuters reports of his survival. Strikes also hit Basij bases and a leadership complex, with international leaders like France's Macron urging restraint as oil prices spiked 7% and the Pentagon called the effort ahead of schedule.