The U.S. Air Pressure disclosed for the primary time that the F-35s had been tasked with the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, and had been the primary in and final out of Iran throughout the strike mission.
In a press launch printed on Nov. 25, 2025, the U.S. Air Pressure has disclosed new particulars in regards to the function of the F-35 Lightning II throughout Operation Midnight Hammer, the strike in opposition to Iranian nuclear amenities, earlier this yr. The main points had been launched because the Airmen from the energetic obligation 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings accomplished their deployment to the Central Command (CENTCOM) Space of Accountability (AOR).
The press launch defined that the thirty fourth Expeditionary Fighter Squadron was deployed on a short-notice Rapid Response Pressure Tasking to an undisclosed location within the Center East. As soon as there, the squadron carried out Agile Fight Employment (ACE) operations, flying from a number of bases within the area.
“We acquired out the door very, in a short time,” stated Lt. Col. Aaron Osborne, thirty fourth Fighter Squadron commander. “Inside 24 hours of being in theater, we had been flying the F-35 in fight missions in opposition to Houthi targets.”
Operation Tough Rider
As soon as in CENTCOM’s AOR, one of many first fight actions of the F-35 was Operation Tough Rider. The operation’s goal was to “disintegrate” the capabilities of the Houthis in Yemen. Throughout the operation, defined the service, pilots from the thirty fourth FS contributed to strikes that destroyed air protection techniques, command and management amenities, weapons storage amenities, surface-to-air missile and ballistic missile capabilities.
Notably, the squadron additionally recorded the primary air-to-air kills from an F-35A in opposition to one-way assault drones. That is presumably the primary time the Air Pressure acknowledges that the F-35A shot down Houthi drones, whereas it beforehand famous that F-16s and F-15Es scored kills. Beforehand, The Conflict Zone was capable of affirm that the Navy’s F-35Cs shot down Houthi drones.
Osborne additionally talked about one other attention-grabbing element in his assertion. “That is the primary time anybody has been shot at in 20 years – truly finishing up the Wild Weasel mission. It’s the primary time we’re carrying novel weapons on the F-35, bombing into tunnels, double-tapping targets with deep-penetration weapons,” Osborne stated.
In Might, U.S. officers talking to The New York Occasions stated Houthi rebels ‘practically struck’ U.S. F-16s and an F-35 throughout the first 30 days of Operation Tough Rider. Osborne’s assertion could possibly be a reference to that occasion, though the service didn’t launch particulars.
This was as soon as once more referenced when Osborne spoke about how the squadron grew and matured throughout the deployment. “To see the squadron develop and get to a spot the place the Airmen are snug residing and dealing in a spot the place you’re being shot at and nonetheless be consultants … to observe SAM launches occur (throughout Tough Rider) and see guys go towards it and bounce on their targets. It was spectacular to see,” Osborne stated.
Operation Midnight Hammer
In June, the thirty fourth FS was tasked with the escort of a strike package deal, “kicking down the door” and paving the way in which for B-2 Spirit stealth bombers. That package deal was the one concerned in Operation Midnight Hammer, which struck underground nuclear websites at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan deep into Iran’s contested airspace.
With one of many main missions units of the 388th FW’s F-35s being the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), on June 22, a formation of the unit’s F-35s was the primary to penetrate Iranian airspace. The Lightnings used their stealth, radar, sensors and focusing on techniques to detect and destroy surface-to-air threats.
“Our weapons officer was the general mission commander,” Osborne stated. “We flew lots of of miles into Iran, escorting the B-2s all the means.”
Osborne then acknowledged the F-35s employed weapons, however didn’t element the specifics. On the identical time, he echoed feedback by Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers, who stated no enemy pictures had been fired.
“We employed weapons to nice impact in opposition to surface-to-air missile websites… whereas they had been attempting to focus on us with some very excessive high-end techniques they usually had been simply unable to,” stated Osborne. “It was cool to see the jet detect and defeat issues – to observe it do precisely what it was designed to do.”
In the meantime, the B-2 stealth bombers dropped 14 GBU-57 Large Ordnance Penetrator bombs on the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear amenities. F-22 supplied air superiority over the goal space.
The F-35s escorted the package deal out of Iran, and had been the final U.S. belongings to depart Iranian airspace. The plane and personnel then ready for an Iranian retaliation.
“From that time ahead, we’re working underneath alarm yellow and alarm purple circumstances, dispersing plane and other people, anticipating ballistic missile assaults, making ready for casualties and medical evacuations. It was wild,” Osborne stated.
