Israel says it has become the first country in the world to carry out combat airstrikes with the new F-35 stealth fighter, the advanced warplane that will soon be used by Britain and other militaries around the world.

The general did not say where the Israeli F-35s had been used but Israel has carried out repeated strikes in Syria in the last three years. It has also hit Hizbollah targets in southern Lebanon but much less frequently.

Israel is also believed to be carrying out secret strikes against jihadists in the Sinai desert in coordination with the Egyptian military.

“We have performed the first operational F-35 strike in the world. We attacked twice in the Middle East using the F-35 – we are the first in the world to do so,” Major General Amikam Norkin, the head of the Israeli air force, said in a briefing to foreign air force officers on Tuesday.

Maj Gen Norkin’s comments sparked widespread interest in military aviation circles worldwide. “The Israeli Air Force has proved once again its ability to pioneer combat testing of new aircraft,” wrote the Aviationist, a military blog.

The F-35s are being produced primarily for the US military but they will eventually be used by armed forces across the globe, including in Britain, Australia and Japan.