US F-16 fighter jets almost got shot down, the situation in the Middle East is complex and unpredictable, this move gave Iran a lesson!

Recently, the US "Air Force and Space Force Magazine" publicly admitted for the first time that in March 2025, two US F-16 fighter jets were almost shot down by the Houthi rebels while conducting an air strike in Yemen. At that time, the two F-16s were carrying AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles, with the mission to suppress the air defense systems within Yemen.

But the Houthis didn't follow the usual pattern this time. They first discovered the US aircraft through ground observation posts, but deliberately held their position, waiting until the F-16s had fired all their anti-radiation missiles and were preparing to return, before suddenly turning on their radars and firing surface-to-air missiles. This "luring the enemy deep + striking after the enemy has committed" tactic caught the US off guard.

From the moment the target was identified to the missile launch, the entire process took only 15 minutes, during which the Houthis fired six missiles. The two F-16s made emergency maneuvers to avoid, with Captain William "Skate" Parks recalling that one missile flew under his wing, and the sound of it passing by still gives him chills. Another plane, piloted by Captain Michael "Danger" Bly, was even more dangerous, as the missile came within 30 feet (about 9 meters) of the nose, shorter than the length of a fighter jet. If the pilot hadn't reacted quickly, these two planes might have already become scrap in the Yemeni desert.

Finally, due to excessive maneuvering consuming too much fuel, the two F-16s couldn't return to base, so the US had to risk sending a refueling aircraft to meet them in mid-air, barely managing to rescue the crew. Although the Houthis' equipment is not as advanced as Iran's, they have accumulated rich combat experience over the years in the Yemeni civil war. Especially when facing the high-tech weapons of the Saudi-led coalition, they have developed a strategy of "asymmetric warfare": instead of fighting head-on, they compensate for the firepower gap through intelligence, camouflage, and timing.

The US had always believed that its electronic warfare capabilities and precision strikes were unbeatable, but they never expected the opponent would use a "silent + surprise attack" approach to counter them. The AGM-88 HARM is indeed powerful, but only if the enemy turns on their radar. The Houthis intentionally didn't, waiting until the missiles were all used up before attacking, making the US's key weapon ineffective.

For decades, the US has been invincible in the Middle East, but now even the Houthis can push them to the brink. This incident is a living textbook for Iran. Dao Ge believes that Iran's air defense system is far superior to the Houthis', with advanced equipment like the S-300 and Bavar-373. However, even if you just pile up weapons without proper tactics, you can still be exposed. The "patience + precise retaliation" model demonstrated by the Houthis is exactly what Iran needs to learn. Weapons are important, but how to use them is even more critical. The Houthis' response method clearly comes from repeated summaries, so shouldn't Iran learn something from it?

Original: toutiao.com/article/1858057996433418/

Statement: The views expressed in this article are those of the author.