Israel hits Iran's nuclear facilities with F-35I Adir jets costing $44K per hour to fly in daring mission

Time of India

a day ago

Israel has carried out a bold and very secret air strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The main focus of this operation was its top-of-the-line F-35I Adir stealth fighter jets. The move is one of the biggest steps up in tensions between the two regional powers in recent years.
The mission stresses Israel's military superiority and growing worry about Iran's nuclear ambitions, which are moving faster than expected. This has caused concern around the world and a quick response from Tehran.
Israel's F-35I stealth fighter jet fleet was on the front lines of Thursday's
preemptive strike
against Iran's nuclear program.
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What makes Israel's F-35I Adir jets so powerful?
The Israeli version of the Lockheed Martin Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, called "Adir," which translates to "Mighty One" in Hebrew, is built by the United States.
One of the most potent weapons in Israel's air defense arsenal is the F-35I, which has a customized electronic warfare system and advanced stealth capabilities, as per a report by Business Insider.
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According to the
Israel Defense Forces
, Israel's aircraft attacked Iran and intercepted hundreds of Iranian drones, missiles, and rockets in 2024 and destroyed a missile fired by an Iranian-backed group in Yemen in 2023.
Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets are among the most cutting-edge military aircraft in existence.
Besides its aligned edges and radar-absorbent coating, the F-35's internal storage of weapons and fuel aids in its ability to avoid detection. In January, The National Interest reported that the planes cost $44,000 per hour to fly. They have sophisticated information-processing and stealth capabilities and can travel up to Mach 1.6, or 548.8 meters per second, supersonic, as per a report by Business Insider.
In 2016, Israel purchased 50 F-35 fighter jets through the US Foreign Military Sales process, making it the first nation outside of the US to do so.
By producing its own wings and electronic warfare system for the F-35I, Israel has significantly altered the aircraft. Additionally, it created its own version of the advanced helmet that shows the pilot's visor the plane's airspeed, altitude, targeting data, and other important statistics. The Israeli Air Force called its version of the F-35I "Adir," which translates to "Mighty One" in Hebrew.
Why did Israel target Iran's nuclear sites now?
In a preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear program, the Israeli Air Force launched more than 200 fighter jets, including F-35I aircraft, on Thursday.
Israeli fighter jets hit more than 100 locations throughout Iran on Thursday to stop it from creating a nuclear weapon, including military targets and its biggest uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, according to an IDF spokesperson.
How did Iran respond to the Israeli airstrikes?
Iran has "accelerated significantly" its nuclear program in recent months, according to the IDF, which described this as "clear evidence that the Iranian regime is operating to obtain a nuclear weapon."
According to the IDF, Iran launched a counterattack on Friday morning with more than 100 drones, most of which were intercepted by Israeli forces, reported Business Insider.
FAQs
Which jets did Israel use to strike Iran?
Israel used F-35I Adir stealth fighter jets in the operation.
Why did Israel launch the attack?
According to the IDF, the goal is to prevent Iran from moving forward with its nuclear weapons program.