Pentagon finally admits Iran struck US F-35 fighter jet
The Pentagon’s inspector general has, for the first time, officially confirmed that an F-35 stealth fighter was damaged by “enemy fire” during a combat mission over Iran, months after Washington had described the incident only as an emergency landing.
In its first formal assessment of losses and operational disruptions stemming from the war on Iran, the inspector general said on Tuesday that Iranian strikes damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at US military bases across the region and contributed to shortages of key munitions.
Covering the period from February 28 to June 30, the assessment also identified an F-35 among US military assets damaged by Iranian air defenses.
In the early morning hours of March 19, 2026, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) successfully hit a US Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet in central Iran’s airspace, forcing the fifth-generation aircraft to abandon its mission and return to its airbase.
Iran releases footage capturing the moment Iranian air defenses locked on and struck an American F-35 fighter jet over central Iran.
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According to a statement released by the IRGC on its official news website at the time, the jet was struck by the IRGC’s advanced air defense systems. “The fate of the fighter jet is unclear and under investigation, and the likelihood of its crash is very high,” it said.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), said at the time that the F-35 had been forced to make an emergency landing following a combat mission over Iran, asserting that both the aircraft and its pilot landed safely.
Sources familiar with the matter, however, had told CNN that the F-35 was believed to have been struck by Iranian fire.
WATCH: The F-35 was sold as untouchable. Until it wasn't. 💥✈️
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The F-35 is considered one of the most advanced fighter jets in the US arsenal, equipped with stealth capabilities designed to make it difficult for enemy radar systems to detect and track.
The incident raises questions about the long-held perception of US technological dominance, particularly as Iranian air defenses confronted US-Israeli air power during the imposed war.
Beyond the F-35 incident, the report also reveals significant strains on US military resources. The Pentagon spent more than $22 billion on munitions between February and June, resulting in the “strategic inventory shortfalls” and “industrial base bottlenecks” affecting resupply.
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