Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) took credit Thursday for striking an F-35 for the first time since America launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28.
The IRGC claimed the strike “severely damaged” the F-35 , which was reportedly “flying a combat mission over Iran,” according to CNN. The aircraft reportedly made an emergency landing at a U.S. base in the Middle East, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the aircraft “landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition.” Hawkins added, “This incident is under investigation.” CENTCOM has yet to confirm if the aircraft was struck by Iranian fire.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has release a statement, accompanied by video footage, which claims to show the targeting of an American F-35A/B Lightning ll with a surface-to-air missile in the skies over Iran. This claim by the IRGC follows reports that a F-35… pic.twitter.com/5omxjVESR3
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 19, 2026
Should the U.S. acknowledge Iran's claim of striking an American F-35 during the war?
The incident would mark the first time Iran successfully struck an American military aircraft since the start of the war. CENTCOM has frequently denied Iranian claims of damage to American aircraft throughout the duration of the Iran war. The IRGC claimed to have shot down several U.S. fighters, which has been disputed by CENTCOM on X.
Other U.S. aircraft were damaged during Operation Epic Fury, but not by Iran. Kuwaiti air defenses shot down three American F-15E Strike Eagles in a friendly fire incident days after the start of the war. A KC-135 Stratotanker also crashed in Iraq following a mid-air collision, causing the deaths of all six crew members.
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