Shock as Yemeni Missile Nearly Hits F-35: Is America’s Stealth Tech Fading?
Ansar Allah air defenses pose unexpected threat to advanced US and Israeli warplanes, forcing strategic recalculations and raising questions over stealth aircraft survivability
United States, PUREWILAYAH.COM - American F-16 and F-35 fighter jets faced intense and close-range anti-aircraft fire from Ansar Allah forces during Operation Rough Rider, a two-month US military campaign in Yemen that began under President Donald Trump in mid-March 2025.
According to reports by Forbes, these close encounters highlight a significant and unexpected level of capability in Yemeni air defenses.
A New York Times report confirmed that during the first 30 days of the operation, Ansar Allah’s unspecified air defense systems came dangerously close to striking fourth-generation F-16s and fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighters, prompting alarm within US defense circles about the potential for American casualties and the broader implications of losing high-value aircraft in combat.
During this same period, seven MQ-9 Reaper drones were successfully shot down by Ansar Allah forces, underlining the increasing potency of their air defense network.
Fears of Pilot Capture and Technological Humiliation
The risk of a US fighter jet being downed and its pilot captured by Ansar Allah was a scenario that US leadership was desperate to avoid, according to Forbes. Such an event would not only mark a political disaster but also a symbolic defeat with severe strategic and technological consequences.
The potential loss of an F-35—America’s crown jewel in stealth technology to a force previously viewed as operating with rudimentary, improvised air defense systems, would shatter the perception of US aerial supremacy.
It could also jeopardize multibillion-dollar arms export agreements with countries that have purchased or intend to purchase the jet.
Israel Warned as Its F-35s Face Similar Threats
Forbes noted that the implications of these close calls extend beyond the United States. The Israeli Air Force, which began long-range airstrikes against Ansar Allah in July 2024 after a successful Yemeni drone attack struck Tel Aviv, faces similarly dangerous skies.
Following the escalation of US involvement in March, Washington reportedly advised Israel to halt further airstrikes in order to prevent wider regional escalation and protect sensitive air assets from being exposed to the same threats.
Shortly after Israel launched retaliatory strikes against Yemen in response to a missile attack that struck a major airport near Tel Aviv, Trump announced a ceasefire with Yemen, signaling a potential shift in US policy driven by tactical vulnerability.
Israeli F-35 Operations Hampered by Distance and Exposure
Unlike the US military, which operates F-35Bs from amphibious assault ships and F-35Cs from supercarriers stationed off the Yemeni coast, “Israel” lacks such forward-deployed capacity. As a result, its F-35I fighters must undertake over 1,000 miles of flight to reach Yemeni targets, requiring extensive aerial refueling and significantly limiting loiter time over target zones.
This operational constraint exposes Israeli jets to even greater risk. Given the increased effectiveness of Ansar Allah’s air defenses, Israeli F-35I jets attempting long-range missions could suffer the same near-miss scenarios faced by their American counterparts—or worse.
Forbes noted that the downing of an Israeli F-35I over Yemen would be an unprecedented propaganda coup for Ansar Allah, and as such, future Israeli sorties will likely avoid operating at full combat intensity to minimize exposure to Yemeni missiles.
Strategic Repercussions and the Question of Stealth Superiority
The potential vulnerabilities revealed in Yemen have rattled confidence in fifth-generation stealth platforms. Analysts say the situation demonstrates that stealth technology does not equate to invincibility, especially when faced with unconventional or locally-adapted air defense networks.
A senior US official confirmed that a US F-35 had to make an abrupt and evasive maneuver to avoid being hit by a Yemeni missile. This development is especially significant because the F-35 is specifically engineered to evade detection by radar. That Yemeni systems were able to track and fire at it implies they successfully detected its position—even if the missile lacked the maneuverability to complete the strike.
This has delivered a severe symbolic and strategic blow to the US defense industry, casting doubt on long-held assumptions about the invulnerability of stealth aircraft and triggering what some observers describe as a quiet reassessment of US air superiority doctrine.
These evolving battlefield dynamics are believed to be behind a number of sudden moves by the Trump administration, including the abrupt Yemen ceasefire, the withdrawal of B-2 stealth bombers from the Indian Ocean, and a softening of rhetoric toward Iran—shifting from war posturing to sanctions-based pressure.
As the Forbes report suggests, this may have been a decision born from necessity: a strategic retreat to prevent international embarrassment and protect the mystique of America’s most advanced fighter jets. (PW)
Source: Al-Mayadeen