Midnight Hammer: How the F-35 took part in striking Iran
The participation of F-35 fighter jets in the recent US-Israeli strikes on Iran has raised numerous questions, after the US Air Force revealed for the first time that the F-35A aircraft involved in the June 22 strike carried out two missions.
According to Military Watch Magazine, these two missions consisted of engaging Iranian air defenses and providing air cover for the strike force as it withdrew from Iranian airspace.
The operation, conducted under the framework of “Midnight Hammer,” involved the use of seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to target the Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities, in one of the largest joint air strikes in years. The bombers departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, supported by short-range tactical aircraft, primarily F-35s, as well as US Navy destroyers that launched cruise missiles at targets inside Iran.
Despite the scale of the operation, the exact role of the F-35 remained debated, as the twelve-day air campaign involving the United States, Israel and several strategic partners marked the first major operational test of the aircraft in a high-intensity combat environment.
General Dan Kain, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that the strike force relied on advanced deception tactics, including the use of decoy aircraft, while fourth- and fifth-generation fighters led the initial assault to neutralize Iranian aircraft and identify surface-to-air missile batteries.
One reason for this approach lies in the advanced age of the B-2 bombers, which entered service more than three decades ago and have raised concerns over their ability to withstand Iran’s multilayered air defense network. This reality made the presence of the modern F-35 a tactical necessity to protect the core strike force.
The F-35 is one of only two fifth-generation fighters developed by Western countries and is equipped, compared with the F-22, with a more advanced electronic warfare suite and sensors capable of detecting threats at long range without revealing its own position, making it particularly suited for penetrating and dismantling complex air defense systems.
However, despite its advantages, the aircraft faces increasing criticism due to significant delays in modernization programs intended to enable it to employ advanced air-to-ground weapons, including the AGM-88G missile designed to destroy air-defense radars. These delays, stretching nearly a decade, have kept the aircraft limited in kinetic strike capabilities.
This lack of offensive armament aligns with the statement of an Israeli Air Force officer, speaking under the pseudonym “Lieutenant Colonel E,” who said the aircraft had not taken part in Israel’s direct strikes against Iranian air defenses since June 13. Instead, the F-35 played a critical intelligence role by providing real-time information to F-16I attack aircraft regarding missile types and aerial threats along
the flight path, enabling more accurate and safer strikes.
According to the same officer, the F-35’s mission is to “open the way” through advanced electronic reconnaissance, then relay data to other formations before the main attack.
Combining stealth capabilities with advanced electronic warfare and extensive intelligence-gathering functions, the F-35 is a key element in any campaign aimed at neutralizing hostile air defenses.
Conversely, the lengthy delays in upgrades and armament development restrict its direct offensive role and currently confine it to non-kinetic missions based on reconnaissance, electronic support, and managing situational awareness for the joint air force.
