She is one of three Sa'ar 5-class corvettes in service with the Israeli Navy and her homeport is Haifa, Israel.

[3] The contract for the construction of the three ships of the class was signed in the early 1980s.

Lahav took part in the 2006 Lebanon War by blockading Lebanese ports.

The Israeli Navy chose Lahav as the first Sa'ar 5 corvette to be equipped with the advanced EL/M-2248 MF-STAR radar.

On 23 September 2014 she was presented to the public with the new radar at Haifa naval base.