Tehran: A US F-35 fighter jet flying a combat mission over Iran made an emergency landing at a US airbase in the Middle East, the Pentagon said, with sources telling CNN they suspect the aircraft may have been hit by Iranian fire.
A US Central Command spokesperson confirmed the jet landed safely and the pilot was in “stable condition,” adding the incident remains under investigation.
CNN, citing two sources, reported the aircraft was potentially struck by Iranian fire, which could mark the first such incident since the war began on Feb. 28.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later claimed responsibility for downing an F-35, according to Reuters, but said “the fate of this fighter jet is unknown and is under investigation, and there is a high probability that it crashed.”
Iranian state media released a video that purportedly shows the targeting of the US aircraft.
