Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei fired Brigadier General Farzad Ismaili, commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) owing to the revelation about the commander having hidden the information that Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-35 stealth fighters had violated Iran's airspace, as reported by the Kuwaiti daily Al Jarida on June 29, 2019.

The Arabic-language Kuwaiti daily newspaper, Al-Jarida, emphasized to be the original media source to have exposed the Israeli raids, which were carried out in March 2018. Citing senior Iranian military, the newspaper stated that following its March report only the intelligence services of the Revolutionary Guards and Iranian intelligence military started investigating the case, under the direct orders of Khamenei.

The newspaper's investigation revealed that 'the IAF F-35 "Adir" planes penetrated Iran's airspace, circled high above Tehran, Karajrak, Isgahan, Shiraz and Bandar Abbas- and photographed Iran's air defense system.'

The newspaper's investigation revealed that 'the IAF F-35 "Adir" planes penetrated Iran's airspace, circled high above Tehran, Karajrak, Isgahan, Shiraz and Bandar Abbas- and photographed Iran's air defense system.'

While the incidence has brought the commander under the bullet on one hand, it has also well demonstrated the power of stealth.

A source in the newspaper report also stated that Iran's air defense system, which includes its Russian radar, failed to detect the entry and exit of the fighter planes. The source also added that Ismaili hid this information from the supreme leader to cover the failure of his service. However, the Iranian intelligence ended up discovering that the Israeli fighter jets did carry out this sortie as a test of the possibility of an undetected attack on Iranian outposts and bases, during which they photographed those sensitive bases, evading the Russian S-300 missile system's radar.

Having received this information, Khamenei has a suspicion regarding a cooperation between Russian and Israel. He also suspects that the secret code of the Russian radar in Iran was also given to Israel by the Russians, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper's report.

The highly confidential information about the Israeli fighter planes managing to photograph even the underground bases of Iran was received by Iranian intelligence, Al Jarida reported. Having received this information, Khamenei has a suspicion regarding a cooperation between Russian and Israel. He also suspects that the secret code of the Russian radar in Iran was also given to Israel by the Russians, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper's report.

After the commander of Iran's air defense system, Ismaili, was fired on May 29, his deputy, General AlirezaSabahi-Fard has replaced him.

Outside the U.S., Israel is the first country to acquire the F-35 fifth-generation fighter. This is despite the criticism that the Israeli F-35 deals were exposed to for being more expensive than the ones purchased by the U.S. Air Force (USAF). However, the cost is because they feature many unique (an indigenous) systems to meet the operational requirements of IAF.

Outside the U.S., Israel is the first country to acquire the F-35 fifth-generation fighter.

The U.S. has been reported to have given Israel more military aid than any other country in the world and its laws on arms sale need Israel to always maintain military superiority in the Middle East.

Israel on the other hand has called the F-35 as a "game-changer". All of the planes ordered by IAF belong to the F-35A variant that has been named F-35I Adir in Israel. These planes are operated by the IAF's Golden Eagle Squadron. In May 2019, IAF had also declared that it had used its stealth fighters in combat operations which made Israel the first country across the globe to carry out an "operational attack" using the F-35.