Putin’s jets with Soviet-era missiles guard Iranian skies as US, Israel launch Delilah, AGM-88 HARMs

aAmid escalating exchanges between Iran, Israel and the United States, the Iranian Air Force has deployed Russian-made Yakovlev Yak-130 jets for combat air patrols over Tehran. Reports say the aircraft are armed with R-73 missiles and operating alongside legacy Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters. As long-range strikes involving systems like AGM-88 HARM and Delilah continue, U.S. and Israeli jets have avoided deep penetration missions. Analysts suggest Iran’s layered air defences and patrol flights are shaping a conflict increasingly defined by stand-off missile warfare rather than close-range aerial engagements.