The Israeli military says it destroyed the personal jet of former Iranian leader Ali Khamenei at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport — a strike it called a direct blow to the regime’s ability to coordinate with allied nations.
TEHRAN — The Israeli Air Force said it destroyed the Airbus A340-300 personal aircraft of former Iranian leader Ali Khamenei at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, posting the claim to social media platform X as the conflict with Iran entered its third week.
The military posted in Hebrew that it had “destroyed the plane of the leader of the Iranian terror regime at the ‘Mehrabad’ airport in Tehran,” accompanying the announcement with a satellite image of the airport and a photograph of the government’s A340, registered as EP-IGA.
The Israeli Air Force said the aircraft served a broader purpose than ferrying a single official. The military stated the plane “was used by Ali Khamenei, leader of the Iranian terror regime, additional senior officials from the terror regime, and elements in the Iranian military, to advance military procurement and manage relations with Axis countries through domestic and international flights.”
The Israeli military framed the strike as dismantling a key command asset. “The destruction of the plane impairs the ability to coordinate between the leadership of the Iranian terror regime and Axis countries, in building military power, and in the regime’s rehabilitation capability,” the Israeli Air Force said. “Thus, another strategic asset has been removed from the Iranian regime.”
The strike comes as the conflict triggered by U.S. and Israeli joint strikes on Iran — which killed Khamenei on Feb. 28 — enters its third week. Iranian airspace has since been declared a no-fly zone amid ongoing missile strikes targeting military sites and retaliatory strikes from Iranian forces.
According to the Times of Israel, Iranian forces had been relocating aircraft into the areas surrounding Mehrabad International Airport in an effort to complicate targeting by the Israeli Air Force.
A Jet With a Commercial Past
The destroyed A340-300 had a lengthy commercial career before entering government service. According to Planespotters.net, the aircraft was first delivered to Air Canada on Feb. 11, 1999, having first flown on Jan. 28 of that year.
The widebody jet changed hands multiple times over the following years, serving Air Jamaica from March 2002, Turkish Airlines from September 2008, Pakistan’s AirBlue from September 2012, and Tajikistan’s Asian Express Airline beginning September 2015. It entered the Iranian government fleet later that same month under registration EP-AJA, was re-registered as EP-DAA in November 2017, and received its final designation, EP-IGA, in June 2018.
According to Planespotters, the Iranian government’s remaining fleet consists of an Airbus A321-200 and two British Aerospace Avro RJ85s.
Aviation Industry Fallout
The conflict is disrupting commercial aviation well beyond Iran’s borders. Qatar Airways operated just two outbound flights — to London and Islamabad — out of 256 scheduled departures, according to FlightRadar24.com. Flight analytics firm Cirium confirmed the 256 scheduled flights were on the books, meaning 254 did not take off.
Airlines operating routes through the affected region are being forced to reroute around the closed airspace, adding flight time, crew hours, and fuel consumption. Fuel prices are simultaneously rising, increasing operating costs across the industry.
Oman Air’s Cargo Division announced it is introducing both a fuel surcharge and a “war risk surcharge” to offset the higher costs it is now facing — a development that signals the conflict’s financial pressure may increasingly reach passengers worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- The Israeli Air Force said it destroyed the Airbus A340-300 used by former Iranian leader Ali Khamenei at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, calling it a strategic regime asset.
- The IDF said the jet supported military procurement and coordination between the Iranian regime leadership and Axis nations.
- The aircraft previously flew for Air Canada, Air Jamaica, Turkish Airlines, AirBlue, and Asian Express Airline before entering Iranian government service in 2015.
- Qatar Airways flew just 2 of its 256 scheduled flights as the conflict grounds regional air traffic.
- Oman Air Cargo is adding a fuel surcharge and a “war risk surcharge” to offset surging operational costs.
