Israeli F-35I Jets Strikes “Large Convoy” in Syria

Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-35I “Adir” stealth fighter jets reportedly carried out a “successful” airstrike to destroy a “large convoy” of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)- Quds Force, or Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) or of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, in Syria early on Thursday.

“It is now confirmed that the F-35Is of Israel Air Force carried-out a very successful airstrike destroying a convoy of IRGC-Quds Force/Hezbollah/PMU on the way from Abu Kamal to Aleppo in Syria minutes ago. The jets flew over Jordan and Iraq again,” Babak Taghvaee, journalist and military aviation analyst, posted on his official Twitter account.

There is however no official confirmation from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The F-35Is of the IAF are based at Nevatim Airbase in Israel's Negev Desert.

A few months ago, Iran began setting up a large military base close to Abu Kamal (Al-Bukamal) border between Syria and Iraq. Satellite images released by ImageSat International (ISI) showed around five newly constructed buildings surrounded by large dirt mounds, and ten less fortified structures.

According to some reports, at least four F-35Is were involved in the attack. Citing sources from the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF), Taghvaee added that neither the United States nor Russia were involved in the Israeli airstrike.

“Russian military sources have said that some IAF KC-707 tanker aircraft were spotted flying over Israel-Jordan border,” Taghvaee said. Israel currently has seven such ageing planes in service. The IAF’s fleet of Boeing 707s are equipped with a boom refueling system similar to the KC-135, which can be used to refuel fighter bombers such as F-15Is, F-16Is and warplanes like F-35.