Pentagon alarmed after Iranian air defense battery targeted American F-35 stealth aircraft escorting commercial vessels through strategic waterway, prompting new U.S. strike plan. An Iranian air defense battery fired a surface-to-air missile at a U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jet over the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report first published by Axios. The incident occurred while the advanced American warplane was providing air cover for oil tankers and commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway.
While the missile did not come close enough to pose a direct threat or cause damage, and the incident ended without casualties, Washington was shocked that Tehran targeted one of America's most advanced military asset. Defense officials view the episode as an unprecedented escalation in the ongoing maritime confrontation in the Persian Gulf, signaling Iran's willingness to raise the stakes dramatically.
Aviation and defense experts caution that firing a missile does not necessarily mean Iran achieved full radar lock on the stealth aircraft. In modern combat, missiles are launched at stealth platforms through several methods: "blind" or statistical firing toward an approximate area where activity has been detected; use of passive systems and thermal or optical sensors that don't emit radar waves and therefore evade the aircraft's warning systems; or basic detection using low-frequency radars that can indicate a general presence in the sky without the precision needed for accurate missile guidance.
Washington has clearly identified that despite severe setbacks in recent months, Tehran is actively working to restore its radar arrays and coastal missile systems around shipping lanes. In response, U.S. Central Command, with full backing from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, developed a new operational plan dubbed "mowing the grass." The concept calls for periodic, limited strikes against Iranian targets in the strait, destroying military systems each time they are reestablished. While the White House initially hesitated over fears of broader escalation, events on the ground moved faster. (Read More)
