Tehran claims strike on F-35 as US losses 16 fighter jets in Iran war

2026-03-20 - 06:00

TEHRAN – Iran has claimed that its air defenses shot down a U.S. F-35 stealth fighter over the country’s central region amid ongoing hostilities. Iran’s state-run Press TV reported that the aircraft was targeted and hit, releasing footage it said depicted the strike, although the authenticity of the video has not been independently confirmed. According to reports, the fighter jet managed to make an emergency landing at a U.S. airbase in the Middle East following the incident. A U.S. Central Command spokesperson, Captain Tim Hawkins, confirmed that the fifth-generation stealth jet was operating over Iranian airspace when it was forced to land. The pilot was reported to be safe and in stable condition. Hawkins added that a formal investigation into the incident is underway, but no additional operational details were shared. If verified, this would represent the first known instance of Iran striking a U.S. aircraft since the conflict intensified in late February. US Losses 16 Military Jets in Iran War According to Bloomberg, the US has lost 16 military aircraft so far in the ongoing conflict with Iran. The losses include 10 Reaper strike drones, while six additional U.S. warplanes sustained heavy damage beyond the destroyed aircraft. The report details that three of the U.S. warplanes were downed in Kuwaiti airspace, reportedly due to friendly fire. A KC-135 refueling tanker was destroyed during a refueling operation, resulting in the deaths of all six crew members. Additionally, five more KC-135 refueling tankers were significantly damaged by Iranian missile strikes at a Saudi Arabian airbase. Iran has also destroyed nine unmanned Reaper drones, including one targeted by a ballistic missile in Jordan.