A United States military fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter jet was reportedly struck while conducting a mission over Iranian airspace, leading to conflicting reports from Washington and Tehran regarding the aircraft’s fate.
According to a report by CNN citing two sources, the advanced fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing at a US Air Force base in the Middle East on the 19th (local time). The incident is presumed to have been the result of an Iranian strike during the aircraft’s operations.
Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins stated that the aircraft was performing a combat mission when it was hit. He confirmed that the pilot is in stable condition and the aircraft landed safely, adding that a formal investigation into the circumstances of the incident has been initiated.
Iran claims successful interception
In contrast to the American account, Iranian authorities have asserted that they successfully shot down the high-tech fighter. The state-run Fars News Agency carried a declaration from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming their Aerospace Force used a new advanced air defence system to intercept the jet.
The IRGC statement indicated the strike occurred around 2.50 a.m. over central Iranian airspace, claiming the aircraft sustained severe damage. While the US maintains the jet returned to base, the IRGC stated that the exact whereabouts of the downed craft remain unconfirmed and are currently under investigation.
To support these assertions, Al Jazeera reported on footage released by the IRGC which appeared to show an F-35 coming under fire. Iranian officials framed the operation as a demonstration of their improved air defence capabilities, following previous claims of intercepting over 125 drones.
Rising tensions in the air war
Each F-35 fighter jet is estimated to cost over 100 million US dollars. If confirmed as a hit by enemy fire, this would mark the first instance of a US aircraft being struck by Iran since the current conflict began late last month.
While other aircraft have been lost during this war, none had previously been confirmed as hit by hostile fire. Earlier in the conflict, three US F-15 fighter jets were mistakenly downed by Kuwaiti air defences in a friendly-fire incident.
The incident comes at a sensitive time as the war enters its third week. Despite this latest report, senior US officials have continued to claim significant progress. Earlier that morning, Department of Defense official Pete Hegseth remarked during a briefing with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine that the Iranian air defence network had been effectively neutralised.
