March 4, 2026

An Israeli F-35I downed an Iranian YAK-130 in the first fighter jet dogfight of the war, the IDF announced at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

The Russian-made YAK-130 started production in the 1990s.

It is generally used as an advanced training aircraft for pilots of the more advanced Russian SU-57 and other such aircraft, but can also be used as an attack aircraft.

On Sunday afternoon, the IDF had bombed Iranian fighter jets moments before they could take off.

Two fighter jets, one an F-4 and one an F-5, were already out on the runway and preparing to take off when the IDF struck.

Iran’s air force, including the F-4 and F-5 fighters, is mostly antiquated and no real match for Israel’s F-15s, F-16s, and F-35s, but the YAK-130 is more advanced than some of the others.

An Israeli F-35I successfully shot down an Iranian YAK-130 in the first fighter jet dogfight of the war, marking a significant aerial engagement as announced by the IDF. The YAK-130, a Russian-made advanced trainer also capable of attack roles, contrasts with Iran’s generally outdated air force comprising older F-4 and F-5 jets, which were also recently targeted by Israeli strikes while preparing to take off. Despite Iran’s limited air capabilities, the YAK-130 presents a more modern threat compared to its older fighters, but it was no match for Israel’s superior F-35 stealth fighter.

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