---
title: "Israel Becomes First Country To Use F-35s In Combat, Giving Hope To US F-35s"
description: "It’s time to check whether hell has frozen over, because the F-35 has actually flown a combat mission! To be clear: The Israeli version of the F-35 is now operational. The U.S. military’s F-35s are still living on a couch…"
date: "2018-05-22"
modified: "2018-05-22"
authors:
  - name: "Jeff Schogol"
    job_title: "Senior Pentagon Reporter"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jeff-schogol/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/israel-uses-f-35s-in-combat/"
categories:
  - "Tech & Tactics"
tags:
  - "central command"
---

# Israel Becomes First Country To Use F-35s In Combat, Giving Hope To US F-35s

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/02/18988475-1.jpg>)

It’s time to check whether hell has frozen over, because the F-35 has actually flown a combat mission! To be clear: The Israeli version of the F-35 is now operational. The U.S. military’s F-35s are still living on a couch in their parents’ basement.

- Israel is the first country in the world to use the F-35 for combat operations, the head of the Israeli air force said on Tuesday, according to [Haaretz.](<https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/iranians-fired-32-rockets-at-israel-during-flare-up-israeli-air-force-1.6110706>)
- “The F-35 squadron has become an operational squadron,” the newspaper quoted [Israeli Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin](<https://twitter.com/IDFSpokesperson/status/998934193618014208>) as saying. “We are flying the F-35 all over the Middle East.”
- The Israeli F-35s took part in two airstrikes in Syria, according to Haaretz, which also reported the Israeli air force is still determining how best to use the aircraft.
- Israel plans to buy at least 50 F-35s, [Defense News reported on Tuesday.](<https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2018/05/22/the-f-35-just-made-its-combat-debut/>) The Israeli version of the F-35 is called “Adir,” or “Mighty One.”
- The Marine Corp’s version of the F-35 will deploy to the U.S. Central Command theater of responsibility this fall aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex along with 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Get some, Marines. Get some!

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## Author
Jeff Schogol is the senior Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose. He reports on both the Defense Department as a whole as well as individual services, covering a variety of topics that include personnel, policy, military justice, deployments, and technology.

### Author social links  
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[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-schogol-188a9317/>)  
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