Iran says ready to target enemy advanced fighter jets, drones

An Iranian military commander said on Saturday that Iran has developed new indigenous methods and equipment and is prepared to target enemy fifth-generation fighter jets and advanced drones.

Brigadier General Alireza Elhami, commander of Iran's Army Air Defense Force, made the remarks while inspecting defensive positions of the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to Iranian media.

Elhami said Iran's air defense forces had, in previous battles, shot down several advanced enemy fighter jets and more than 160 drones in joint US-Israeli incursions, including MQ-9, Hermes and LUCAS drones, as well as dozens of cruise missiles. He said the forces had taken timely and precise action before the enemy launched its attacks. 

He added that in operations carried out by the air defense units of the army and the IRGC, a number of enemy fourth-generation and fifth-generation fighter jets were hit, damaged or brought down.

Elhami said the outcome was made possible by advanced tactics, modern equipment and the innovative use of air defense systems, which threw the enemy into confusion.

According to Axios on Friday, a US F-15 fighter jet was shot down by Iranian fire over Iran, with one of the two crew members rescued by US special forces and search and rescue for the other still ongoing.