The US-Israeli war on Iran has entered its fifth day with a series of stunning military milestones — including the first-ever air-to-air kill of a manned fighter jet by an F-35 — as Israel dramatically escalated its campaign by striking the heart of Iran’s government in Tehran.
In a statement that sent shockwaves through the defense world, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed Wednesday morning that one of its F-35I ‘Adir’ stealth fighters shot down a Russian-made Iranian Air Force YAK-130 combat aircraft directly over the skies of Tehran.
“This is the first shootdown in history of a manned fighter aircraft by an F-35 ‘Adir’ fighter jet,” the IDF said. Iran has not commented on the incident.
The historic kill underscores just how thoroughly the US-Israeli combined force has achieved air superiority over Iranian airspace — a level of dominance that would have been unthinkable just days ago.
Israel Hits the Presidential Office and Security HQ
The F-35 dogfight wasn’t the only headline out of Tehran. Israel announced it had launched a “broad wave of strikes” against key government targets in the Iranian capital, including:
- Iran’s Presidential Office
- The Supreme National Security Council building
- The Assembly of Experts headquarters
- Basij and internal security command centers used by the regime to maintain control over the population
The IDF said the Basij command centers were specifically targeted because they were “used by the Iranian regime to maintain control throughout Iran” — a clear signal that the coalition’s objectives extend beyond military infrastructure to dismantling the regime’s domestic enforcement apparatus.
Explosions rocked Tehran for the fourth consecutive night, with Iranian state media reporting blasts in the east of the capital. Smoke columns were visible across the city as Israeli jets operated with near-impunity over Iranian airspace.
CENTCOM: ’24/7 Strikes From Seabed to Space’
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, delivered a chilling assessment of the scope of Operation Epic Fury on Tuesday evening. Speaking in a video update, Cooper said the US military was conducting “24/7 strikes into Iran from seabed to space and cyberspace.”
The numbers are staggering:
- Over 2,000 targets struck across Iran in just five days
- 50,000+ US troops deployed to the region
- 200+ fighter aircraft in theater
- Two aircraft carrier strike groups operating in the Gulf
- B-2 Spirit and B-1B Lancer bombers conducting deep strikes on missile production facilities
- 17 Iranian naval vessels destroyed — the US is systematically sinking “all of the Iranian navy”
Cooper emphasized that this represents “the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation.”
The pace of strikes has been relentless. US forces hit nearly 1,500 targets in the first 24 hours alone — nearly double the number of “shock and awe” strikes on Iraq in 2003, according to CENTCOM.
Six US Service Members Killed — Including Friendly Fire Tragedy
The human cost of the war continues to mount. Six US service members have been killed since operations began on February 28. Four were killed by an Iranian drone strike on a US facility in the Gulf region.
In a separate and deeply troubling incident, three US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft were shot down over Kuwait by Kuwaiti air defenses in a friendly fire incident on Sunday night. All six crew members ejected safely and were recovered in stable condition, according to CENTCOM.
The friendly fire incident has raised pointed questions about coalition coordination. Former intelligence official Denver Riggleman wrote on social media: “Downstream effects of ops tempo + lack of training + faulty mission planning + panic. This is operational incompetence.”
The Pentagon confirmed it is conducting a joint investigation with the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry.
Khamenei Funeral Planned — Israel Vows to Kill Any Successor
In a dramatic twist with enormous geopolitical implications, Iran announced that a funeral ceremony for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — killed in the opening US-Israeli strikes on February 28 — will begin Wednesday night at the Grand Mosalla prayer hall in Tehran.
Supporters of the late supreme leader will gather at 10 PM local time to begin a three-day commemoration ceremony.
Meanwhile, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has emerged as the frontrunner to replace his father as Iran’s supreme leader, according to the New York Times, citing Iranian officials.
But Israel immediately threw cold water on any smooth succession. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that the military will attempt to kill any Iranian leader appointed to succeed Khamenei — an extraordinary threat that could leave Iran in an extended leadership vacuum.
Iran Fights Back — But Is It Enough?
Iran has not gone quietly. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired approximately 40 missiles at US and Israeli targets on Tuesday. Iranian forces have:
- Hit the US Embassy in Riyadh with drone strikes, causing a fire
- Struck energy infrastructure across the Gulf, disrupting oil and gas production from Qatar to Iraq
- Attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closing navigation in the critical waterway
- Hit the area near the US Consulate in Dubai with drones
But analysts say Iran’s retaliatory capability is rapidly diminishing. Trump told reporters Tuesday that Iran’s air force and navy have been “knocked out” and that military installations have been “essentially” destroyed.
“We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” Trump said, adding that he expects Operation Epic Fury to last four to five weeks but that the US has the capability to go “far longer than that.”
Global Markets in Freefall
The war’s economic shockwaves are being felt worldwide. Global oil and gas prices have spiked as Middle East energy exports have ground to a halt.
In Asia on Wednesday:
- Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 3.9% during early trading
- Seoul’s Kospi plunged 8.1% — trading was suspended after it dropped 7.2% the previous day
Trump attempted to calm energy markets by announcing the US would provide insurance for commercial shipping and that the US Navy could begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary — one of the administration’s most aggressive steps yet to contain soaring energy prices.
Emirates operated its first departure from Dubai since the strikes began — a flight bound for Mumbai on Monday — but most regional air traffic remains severely disrupted.
Spain Defies Trump — Gets Threatened With Trade War
The war is also fracturing Western alliances. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez defied Trump by declaring that joint military bases in Spain cannot be used for attacks on Iran.
“The position of the government of Spain can be summed up in four words: no to war,” Sanchez said in a televised address.
Trump responded by threatening to sever all trade with Spain, calling Madrid “very uncooperative” and a “terrible” ally.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who had been leading nuclear talks with US officials before the strikes, accused Trump of having “betrayed diplomacy and Americans who elected him” by launching attacks in the middle of negotiations.
What Comes Next?
As the war enters its fifth day, the strategic picture is becoming clearer: the US-Israeli coalition has achieved overwhelming air and naval superiority over Iran. The regime’s military infrastructure is being systematically dismantled, its leadership has been decapitated, and its ability to project power is rapidly diminishing.
But the question of what replaces the current Iranian regime — and whether the coalition can manage the consequences of its collapse — remains deeply uncertain. Netanyahu has called on Iranian citizens to “take to the streets and overthrow their rulers,” while the Iranian internet blackout continues and Basij forces have reportedly been firing at buildings in Tehran neighborhoods where anti-regime sentiment has surfaced.
The coming days will determine whether Operation Epic Fury achieves its stated objectives — or whether the Middle East is heading into a far longer and more dangerous conflict than anyone anticipated.