Israel Receives Two More F-35 Jets, Bringing Total to 16
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TEL AVIV – Israel received two more F-35 stealth fighter jets on Sunday, the army said, bringing the total possessed by the Israeli Air Force to 16.

The first two F-35s arrived at the end of 2016 and were declared operational a year later. The air force later showcased the first operational flights and said the F-35s had already conducted strikes, making Israel the first country to use the planes in combat.

“The capabilities of the Adir Squadron [Israel’s name for the F-35] add another tier to the operational and strategic capabilities of the air force, which ensures the air force’s superiority in all its missions, namely the protection and safety of the State of Israel’s skies,” the military said in a statement.