What are the potential benefits of using IntlDateFormatter::format over date_format() in PHP for date/time formatting?

When formatting dates and times in PHP, using IntlDateFormatter::format over date_format() can provide benefits such as improved support for internationalization and localization, better handling of different date formats, and increased flexibility in customizing date/time output.

// Using IntlDateFormatter::format for date/time formatting
$timestamp = time();
$fmt = new IntlDateFormatter('en_US', IntlDateFormatter::FULL, IntlDateFormatter::FULL, 'America/New_York', IntlDateFormatter::GREGORIAN);
echo $fmt->format($timestamp);