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→Combat History
==Combat History==
==Combat History==
===Israel===
===Israel===
The F-15 first saw combat with the [[Israeli]] air force. On June 27, 1979, F-15s were escorting a strike mission in southern [[Lebanon]] when several Syrian Mig-21s attempted to intercept. The Eagles shot down four Migs with no loss.<ref>Rolling Thunder: Jet Combat From World War II to the Gulf War, by Ivan Rendall, Dell Publishing, 1997</ref>
Israel was the first foreign customer for the F-15, buying 51 of them by 1978. The F-15 first saw combat with the [[Israeli]] air force on June 27, 1979. F-15s were escorting a strike mission in southern [[Lebanon]] when several [[Syria]]n Mig-21s attempted to intercept. The Eagles shot down four Migs with no loss.<ref>Rolling Thunder: Jet Combat From World War II to the Gulf War, by Ivan Rendall, Dell Publishing, 1997</ref> Three months later, Israeli Eagles doubled their score when they shot down 4 more Syrian Mig-21s. During the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, the Syrian Air Force engaged the Israelis over the Bekaa Valley in a series of contests for air superiority. F-15s downed 40 Syrian fighters for no loss.
In 1981, Israeli Eagles provided escort for the successful attack on the Osirak nuclear reactor in [[Iraq]].
In 1981, Israeli Eagles provided escort for the successful attack on the Osirak nuclear reactor in [[Iraq]].
During the [[Iran-Iraq War]], tensions in the area were high. On June 5, 1984, two Iranian [[F-4|Phantom]]s were scrambled to attack shipping on the Saudi side of the [[Persian Gulf]]. They were detected by a USAF AWACS, and 2 Saudi F-15s were sent to intercept. When the Phantoms were over the southern Gulf, and still heading south, the Eagles engaged with Sparrow missiles, downing one and seriously damaging the other.<ref name="MyFirstRef">F-15C Eagle Units in Combat, by Steve Davies, Osprey Publishing, 2005</ref>
During the [[Iran-Iraq War]], tensions in the area were high. On June 5, 1984, two Iranian [[F-4|Phantom]]s were scrambled to attack shipping on the Saudi side of the [[Persian Gulf]]. They were detected by a USAF AWACS, and 2 Saudi F-15s were sent to intercept. When the Phantoms were over the southern Gulf, and still heading south, the Eagles engaged with Sparrow missiles, downing one and seriously damaging the other.<ref name="MyFirstRef">F-15C Eagle Units in Combat, by Steve Davies, Osprey Publishing, 2005</ref>
During the [[Gulf War]], Saudi F-15s were involved in combat air patrols over [[Saudi Arabia]] and the [[Persian Gulf]]. On January 19, 1991, a Saudi F-15 intercepted two Iraqi Mirage F1s attempting to attack coalition naval vessels in the Gulf. Aided by vectors from a USAF AWACS, the pilot shot down both planes with Sidewinder missiles, resulting in two aerial victories for the coalition and a public relations victory for the Saudi air force.
===United States===
===United States===