Iranian F-14 ‘Persian Tomcats' Obliterated In Israeli Airstrike
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted infrared targeting camera footage of a pair of F-14A Tomcat fighters being destroyed by air-to-ground munitions as they sat outside hardened aircraft shelters at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran. The strikes were part of Israel's broadening campaign to dismantle Iran's air defense capabilities for good, which includes destroying the Iranian Air Force's fixed-wing fleet.
Since the conflict began, I have been posting on social media how this would likely mark the end of the F-14's operational career. Iran has continued to maintain a small cadre of flyable F-14s two decades after the U.S. Navy — the type's only other operator — put the Tomcat out to pasture.
https://t.co/tByAtA174f
— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) June 14, 2025
The Israeli campaign to neuter Iran's air defenses in their totality is a major component of the broader air operation. Not only will it allow Israel to operate freely over Iran as it attempts to destroy the country's nuclear and long-range weapons programs, but it will also likely allow Israel to continue to access Iranian skies long after the core mission ends. This will be critical to ensuring Iran does not reconstitute its nuclear or long-range missile programs. This means destroying all aspects of the country's air defenses, including the regime's rickety fighter force.
I actually made a post on X about the two Tomcats in question, just a couple of days ago. These aircraft have been sitting outside the hardened aircraft shelters at the airbase connected to Tehran's international airport for years. Tomcats have provided quick reaction alert (QRA) coverage for Tehran in the past, along with other types, but their main station is the 8th Tactical Air Base at Isfahan. These two jets were in non-flyable condition, as are the vast majority of the survivors of the 79 F-14As delivered to the Shah of Iran back in the 1970s.
Then there are these two outcasts that have been baking out there for a few years…. pic.twitter.com/APnCKiNVNq
— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) June 14, 2025
Cannibalizing airframes to keep a small number airworthy has been an ongoing practice since not long after the U.S. embargoed all support for Iran's F-14s many decades ago. Since then, Iran has been incredibly resourceful in developing its own support programs for the notoriously complex jets and smuggling components needed to keep some of them in the air. This has also come at great cost just to keep an aircraft with diminishing capabilities in the air.
Regardless, Iran's dilapidated air force didn't put up much of a fight against the IAF in the opening waves of Israel's attack, at least that we know about. We also haven't heard of the IRAF flying sorties in the east of the country, as Israel worked to gain air superiority. The threat resident primarily in ground-based air defenses, but still, eliminating Iran's tactical jet fleet once and for all is clearly a major goal. Israel has bombed hardened aircraft shelters at multiple bases in order to ensure this.
Imagery from Iran's Hamdan Airbase reveals significant damage after Israel's recent airstrikes – multiple aircraft shelters are compromised alongside cratering on the taxiway & runway pic.twitter.com/vMVmunPFTy
— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) June 15, 2025
In the end, it isn't clear exactly how many F-14s remained flyable, let alone operationally relevant in a mission-capable sense, towards the end. Estimates have ranged wildly from a small handful to around 25 in recent years. You can read our report about a single IRAF F-14 that attempted to participate in the flying program at an Iranian airshow here.
It's also worth noting that, despite various efforts to upgrade the jets locally and to add new capabilities, the Iranian F-14s suffered some high-profile issues throughout their eventful service in Iran, which included the bloody Iran-Iraq war. As we discussed in the past:
'[The] F-14's once-state-of-the-art AN/AWG-9 fire control radar has suffered from low serviceability, with the Tomcat fleet effectively being divided between those with fully functioning radars and those with more diminished capabilities. The current status of any surviving AIM-54 Phoenix and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles is also a matter of debate, and Iranian programs to introduce alternative weaponry for the F-14 have had only very mixed results, as you can read more about here.'
The type was slated for replacement, with Russian Su-35s being the long-rumored candidate to do so. This aircraft would be a quantum leap in capability over the old 'Persian Cats,' but they will not capture the mystique and public fascination of the F-14. In the meantime, it appears that the Su-35s once seen to be earmarked for Iran, or at least some of them, have been exported to another Russian client, Algeria, instead.
So it seems clear at this point that if Iran ends up with any air force at all after this is all over, it is very unlikely to include the Tomcat, marking a final end to nearly five-and-a-half decades of continuous service.
Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com
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Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah after the Israeli attack, according to Iranian media. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 16, 2025 Iranian media also reported an Israeli strike on a fire department building in the Musiyan municipality in the province of Ilam, also in western Iran. In addition, the IDF says it struck around 100 military targets in Isfahan, central Iran. One of the targets that the IDF apparently hasn't hit in Isfahan is the stockpile of Iran's enriched uranium. In the tweet thread below, Jeffrey Lewis, an expert in nuclear nonproliferation and a professor at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, provides the likely explanation for this. Suffice it to say, Iran apparently stores the vital enriched uranium deep underground, at a depth of at least 300 feet. Israel, so far, has not been able to destroy the hardest, deeply buried targets. I see @SangerNYT asked why Israel hasn't hit the stockpile of enriched uranium. My understanding is that the hex is stored in the tunnels at Isfahan and Israel hasn't been able to destroy the hard, deeply buried targets. Thread. — Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) June 16, 2025 Overall, Israeli strikes in Iran have killed 224 people since Friday, according to an Iranian Ministry of Health spokesperson. Also noteworthy is IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin's claim that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) has now established 'full aerial superiority' over the Iranian capital, Tehran. Clearly, Israel launched its operation with the aim of degrading Iran's air force and air defenses. Suppression and destruction of enemy air defense (SEAD/DEAD) sorties were emphasized from the start, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) has been struck heavily on the ground. In the last couple of days, we've also had more evidence of IAF fighters roaming further east over Iran. 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An earlier statement from Israel's Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency service said that 92 people had been injured in Iran's latest missile latest barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles toward Israel as seen from Basra, eastern Iraq. — Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) June 16, 2025 OMG — WW3 Monitor (@WW3_Monitor) June 16, 2025 Most of the casualties appear to have been from Iranian strikes on four sites in central Israel, where search and rescue operations were ongoing as of this morning. The total number of people killed in Israel since Friday stands at 24, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office and media reports. In Tel Aviv, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee reported minor damage to the embassy branch as a result of an Iranian missile impacting nearby. In a post on X, Huckabee confirmed that no U.S. personnel had been injured, although the U.S. embassy and consulate in Israel will remain closed today. Some confusion–there were NO INJURIES to US Personnel at US Embassy Branch–the minor damage to property were from the shock waves (i.e. "concussions") from the nearby blast. Not human concussions. Repeat–NO INJURIES thank God! — Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 16, 2025 Some of the damage inside of the U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel-Aviv, caused by this morning's ballistic missile attack by Iran. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 16, 2025 As well as missiles coming from Iran, at least one missile was also fired overnight toward Israel by the Iran-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen. Israel's military said that the Houthi missile came down before entering Israeli territory, although it's unclear if it malfunctioned or if it was brought down by air defenses. Yesterday, the Houthis confirmed that they had targeted Israel in coordination with Iran, the first time an Iran-aligned group publicly announced this kind of involvement in the current conflict. 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'The boastful dictator from Tehran has turned into a cowardly murderer, deliberately firing at Israel's civilian home front in an attempt to deter the [IDF] from continuing the offensive that is crippling his capabilities,' Katz wrote on his Telegram channel. 'The residents of Tehran will pay the price — and soon.' Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, accuses Iran of targeting Israeli civilians in its overnight in the very next breath, he appears to threaten Iranian civilians, saying "residents of Iran will pay the price." — Matt Bradley (@MattMcBradley) June 16, 2025 Katz then walked back those comments, stating that Israel has 'no intention' of deliberately harming the residents of Tehran. 'I wish to clarify the obvious: there is no intention to physically harm the residents of Tehran as the murderous dictator does to the residents of Israel,' Katz said. 'The residents of Tehran will have to pay the price of dictatorship and evacuate their homes from areas where it will be necessary to attack regime targets and security infrastructures in Tehran.' There are reports that Iran has executed an individual accused of spying for Israel. The semi-official Fars agency reported that the man was found guilty of spying for Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad. According to Reuters, this was the third such execution in recent weeks. Ismail Fekri, the alleged Mossad spy executed this morning by Iran. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 16, 2025 With speculation that U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers may be headed to the region, perhaps to directly support Israeli activities, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that Iran doesn't want the conflict to spill over into neighboring countries — unless forced to do so. Good the addition of 4 tankers out of New Jersey, there are now at least 32 tankers observed in the overnight group. A considerable portion went to Morón Air Base in Spain, with others on to UK, Germany, Italy and 1 to Estonia. A few pressed on to CENTCOM AOR. — Evergreen Intel (@vcdgf555) June 16, 2025 Araghchi pointed specifically to the Israeli strikes on the offshore South Pars gas field that Iran shares with Qatar, describing them as 'a blatant aggression and a very dangerous act.' The foreign minister warned Israel that 'dragging the conflict to the Persian Gulf is a strategic mistake, and its aim is to drag the war beyond Iranian territory.' Iranian state-run media has confirmed strikes recently targeted the Phase 14 Refinery of the South Pars Gas Field, the Fajr Jam Natural Gas Refinery, and the Kangan LNG Port on the coast of the Persian Gulf, all in the Bushehr Province of Southern Iran. It appears that Israel has… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 14, 2025 Araghchi said he believed that the United States took part in the recent Israeli attacks, something that Washington has consistently denied. 'Israel's attack would never have happened without the U.S. green light and support,' Araghchi said. 'It is necessary for the United States to condemn Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities if they want to prove their goodwill.' Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi:Iran will stop attacks on Israel if it stops aggression against the Islamic Republic. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 15, 2025 More evidence is coming to light on the results of Israeli attacks against Iranian nuclear facilities. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today that there is a possibility of both radiological and chemical contamination at Natanz, the site of Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility, following Israeli strikes on Friday. 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'They'd like to talk, but they should have done that before,' Trump said. The president also didn't rule out potential U.S. military involvement in the conflict. When asked what it would take for the United States to enter the conflict, his response was a terse 'We'll see.' "Yeah," Iran is backchanneling to US, Trump tells us in Canada. "They'd like to talk but they should have done that before," he said. "Iran is not winning this war." — Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) June 16, 2025 This is a developing story, and we will continue to update it as more information becomes Israel and Iran continue to pummel each other, additional U.S. military assets are heading to the Middle East. That includes the USS Nimitz super carrier as well as an armada of refueling aircraft and what a U.S. official told us were 'defensive forces' designed to give American commanders greater options. You can read more about that here. Major U.S. Middle East-Focused Buildup ConfirmedThe Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is now rushing to the Middle East and a snap deployment of tankers has landed at bases across the — The War Zone (@thewarzonewire) June 16, 2025 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ABC News on Monday that killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would end the ongoing fighting and did not rule out an attempt on his life. When asked by ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl about reports from ABC News and other outlets that President Donald Trump rejected an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, concerned that it would escalate the conflict, Netanyahu said, 'It's not going to escalate the conflict, it's going to end the conflict.' Asked if Israel would target the supreme leader, Netanyahu said that Israel was 'doing what we need to do.' 'I'm not going to get into the details, but we've targeted their top nuclear scientists,' Netanyahu told the network. 'It's basically Hitler's nuclear team.' Speaking earlier to ABC News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he is not interested in further nuclear talks or negotiations with Iran, adding that Israel would target Iranian Supreme-Leader Ali Khamenei if need be, stating about Khamenei's potential… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 16, 2025 The IRGC claimed that in the past 72 hours, 'we have continuously and without interruption targeted targets throughout the occupied territories with 545 attack drones, and these operations will continue,' the official Iranian Fars news agency stated. IRGC Spokesperson: Over the past 72 hours, we have continuously and without interruption targeted objectives across the occupied territories with 545 attack drones—and these operations will continue.#OpTruePromise3 — Daily Iran Military (@IRIran_Military) June 16, 2025The Trump administration told several Middle Eastern allies on Sunday that it doesn't plan to get actively involved in this conflict unless Iran targets Americans, Axios is reporting, citing two sources from countries that received that U.S. message. While Iranian leaders have threatened for weeks to target U.S. bases in the region, that has yet to happen. 'The Iranians are very careful so far not to do anything that can push the U.S. to get involved,' an Arab diplomat with direct knowledge of the thinking in Tehran told Axios. SCOOP: The Trump administration told Middle Eastern allies that it doesn't plan to get actively involved in the war between Israel and Iran unless Iran targets Americans — Axios (@axios) June 16, 2025Trump took to his Truth Social network to warn Iranians to evacuate Tehran. 'Iran should have signed the 'deal' I told them to sign,' he stated on Truth Social. 'What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' Fox News reporter Lawrence Jones III stated on X that Trump will depart the G7 summit after dinner with the heads of those nations and that the National Security Council should be prepared to meet in the White House Situation Room. I've been informed that the President @POTUS will have dinner with the heads of state of the G7 nations and then immediately depart for Washington. He has requested that the National Security Council be prepared in the situation room. — Lawrence Jones III (@LawrenceBJones3) June 16, 2025 Meanwhile, a U.S. official pushed back against online chatter that the U.S. is attacking Iran. 'We are still in a defense posture,' the official told The War Zone. ' To my knowledge, we are not striking Iran.''American Forces are maintaining their defensive posture & that has nto changed,' Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated on X. 'We will protect American troops & our interests.' American Forces are maintaining their defensive posture & that has not will protect American troops & our interests. — Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellATSD) June 17, 2025 – Parnell definitively pushed back against claims that the U.S. was attacking Iran. This is not true. — Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellATSD) June 17, 2025 Contact the author: thomas@
