The Israeli Air Force has released imagery confirming the destruction of two Iranian F-14 Tomcat fighter jets during precision airstrikes on military facilities in Isfahan.
According to Israeli officials, the attack was part of a broader campaign against Islamic Republic military infrastructure, with a focus on platforms capable of defending critical airspace and coordinating offensive operations.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the airstrikes were conducted with “full operational control of the skies” and that the F-14s were struck while parked at an air base near the central Iranian city.
Iran remains the only country outside the United States to have ever flown the F-14 Tomcat. The aircraft, originally built by Grumman and delivered in the 1970s under the Shah’s regime, were provided before the 1979 Islamic Revolution cut ties between Washington and Tehran.
In total, Iran received 79 F-14s, though years of sanctions and embargoes have made spare parts and maintenance a growing challenge.
As of early 2025, Iran was believed to operate a small number of Tomcats out of Shahid Babaei Air Base in Isfahan, using them primarily for air defense and intercept missions. Despite their age, these aircraft remained one of the most capable platforms in Iran’s inventory due to their long-range radar and missile pairing, a legacy of Cold War-era U.S. design.
The F-14 fleet represented a symbolic and strategic asset for the Islamic Republic’s air force.
However, it appears that both Iranian F-14 Tomcats destroyed in the recent strike were in a non-operational state. Defense analysts reviewing the imagery suggest that the aircraft had likely been grounded for some time and were no longer airworthy.
Shahed drones destroyed
The Israeli Air Force said it successfully targeted and destroyed a launch team preparing to fire Shahed-136 long-range one-way attack drones toward Israel, preventing a direct attack in what the military described as a rapid and precise operation.
In a statement released today, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that aerial surveillance tracked the movement of an Iranian-backed launch cell over the past several days. According to the IDF, the team had been setting up to launch four Shahed-136 long-range one-way attack drones when they were eliminated.
“In recent days, Israeli Air Force aircraft monitored the launch team, identified the operators as they deployed the Shahed UAV launchers and associated weaponry in the field,” the Air Force said in a statement. It added, “With a rapid closing of the loop, the launch team was eliminated and the launchers destroyed just minutes before they could carry out the strike toward Israeli territory.”
The Air Force also released footage showing the moment of impact as the launchers were struck, with the drones still visibly mounted in a launch-ready configuration.
Shahed-136 drones, produced by Iran and frequently used by proxy forces in the region, have been deployed in previous attacks on Israeli and Western targets. The long-range UAVs are known for their one-way attack function, allowing them to carry explosive warheads over extended distances before detonating on impact.
The IDF has increased surveillance and strike operations over suspected launch zones as part of a broader effort to preempt drone and missile attacks amid heightened tensions with Iran and its allied networks.
The Israeli military emphasized that the success of the latest operation demonstrates its continued ability to detect, monitor, and neutralize emerging aerial threats in real time.
© 2025, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
