IDF Reports Downing Iranian Fighter Jet as Strikes Continue to ‘Shake’ Regime

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated Thursday that its strikes against Iran continue to intensify, causing significant disruption to the Iranian regime. This comes as the conflict enters its sixth day, with both sides exchanging attacks.

Iranian Jet Shot Down

According to the IDF, an Israeli F-35I jet successfully shot down an Iranian YAK-130 fighter jet on Wednesday. The IDF released a video purportedly showing the downing of the aircraft, with audio in Hebrew stating, “To execute, strike immediately. It’s done. The target collapses. Keep hitting.” Source

Continued Strikes and Damage Assessment

Brigadier General Effie Defrin, an IDF spokesperson, told the press that the strikes are “deepening the blows against the regime.” He asserted that the Iranian leadership was “shaken from the first strike on Saturday morning” and that the IDF is “continuing to shake it further, deepening the damage inflicted on it until the existential threat is removed.” Source

Targeted Locations

Since February 28th, the IDF has conducted strikes on various locations within Iran. These include the country’s “leadership complex” in Tehran, which housed Iran’s presidential bureau, the Supreme National Security Council headquarters and a training facility for Iranian army officers. Source Additional strikes have targeted dozens of ballistic missile launchers, air defense systems, and drone facilities in western Iran. Source Military and paramilitary headquarters, including those of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Basij paramilitary, and the Quds Force, have also been hit. Source

Scale of the Operation

The U.S. And Israeli militaries report that nearly 2,000 targets throughout Iran have been struck since the start of the operation, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” by U.S. Central Command. Source Over 130 cities in Iran have been impacted by the strikes, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Source

Potential Duration

President Donald Trump stated Monday that the operation could last between four and five weeks, though he added the U.S. Has the capability to continue for a longer period. Source