Combat missions against Iran are the most challenging that an F-35 has flown, showcasing the jet's capabilities, an airpower expert said.

The U.S. military is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, bolstering U.S. military forces in the region as the war between Israel and Iran rages,

Iran's armed forces said on Saturday they had shot down a modern Israeli fighter jet during Israeli airstrikes. An F-35 fighter jet was brought down in the west of the country, a state broadcaster reported.