Video: In A First, Israel's F-35 Fighter Shoots Down Cruise Missile

The Israeli Air Force shot down a cruise missile by an air-to-air missile launched by F-35I Adir, a fifth-generation fighter operated by Israel. The shooting down of the missile, which was launched from southeast of Israel, is the first such kill scored by the F-35 in the ongoing conflict. 

On the same day, the Arrow Missiles, an Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile system (ATBM), intercepted a surface-to-surface missile in the Red Sea area, the IDF said. 

Mid-Air Interception

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) shared the video on X (formerly Twitter) of the air-to-air kill. The infrared imagery video shows the cruise missile, powered by turbofan engines, being chased by the F-35I from the Adir formation. 

🔴A cruise missile launched from the southeast toward Israeli airspace was successfully intercepted by F-35i fighter jets.

🔴On the same day, the IAF's Arrow Aerial Defense System intercepted a surface-to-surface missile in the Red Sea area. pic.twitter.com/jZn0wcqwUX

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 2, 2023

The missile, launched from the southeast of Israel, was intercepted by the control and detection systems of the air force and was heading towards the Israeli air space, prompting a quick response by Israel to launch its fighter jets.

The cruise missile, reportedly flying at high subsonic speed, was intercepted by an air-to-air missile fired by the F-35I Adir and was shot down. It's the first hit by an F-35I of such a type where a missile launched by the stealth fighter shot a cruise missile, Janes reported. 

It's not the first kill in F-35I Adit's operational history. In March, the Israeli Air Force claimed it intercepted and shot down two Iranian Shahed 197 drones, that were fired beyond the Israeli air space and were shot down in less than half an hour after being identified. 

"Belt Of Fire"

Israel is conducting relentless air strikes on Gaza in which over 9,000 people have died. Israel claims these air strikes on Hamas hideouts are essential before the ground invasion. 

The commander of the cooperation unit of the IDF talked about how the Israeli Air Force is providing a "belt of fire" to the ground troops and how the air strikes are proving a defensive cover to intense waves of attacks. 

The Israeli ground troops started a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip earlier this week which was preceded by relentless air strikes. 

The Israeli military has claimed that its ground forces have surrounded the Hamas-controlled Gaza City in the densely populated besieged Palestinian enclave.

Entry In Israel's Air Force 

The Lockheed Martin-built F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter was inducted into the Israeli Air Force in 2016, almost 6 years after Israel became the first country to select the F-35 through the US government's Foreign Military Sales process. 

In 2018, the F-35 made its combat debut. The Israel Defence Forces in 2018 said, "The Adir planes are already operational and flying in operational missions," quoting Maj Gen Amikam Norkin, commander of the Israeli Air Force. 

"I think that we are the first to attack with the F-35 in the Middle East," Maj Gen Norkin said.