Iran shoots down two more US Jets, including another F‑35

Iranian forces say they shot down two more advanced US fighter jets today, including a second F-35, despite US President Donald Trump’s claim of destroying Iran’s air defenses.

In a statement on Friday, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that its “newly developed and advanced air defenses had shot down a stealth F-35 fighter jet in central Iran.” The downed aircraft belonged to the Lakenheath squadron.

The IRGC added that the fighter jet was “completely destroyed and crashed.” Because the aircraft disintegrated entirely, “the fate of the pilot remains unknown,” it noted.

Earlier on Friday, the IRGC announced that another advanced enemy fighter jet was targeted by air defense systems south of Qeshm Island. The plane crashed between Hengam and Qeshm islands, falling “into the depths of the ever-Persian Gulf.”

The IRGC statement criticized Washington, saying:
“Following the false claim of the liar US President regarding the complete destruction of the IRGC’s air defense, moments ago an advanced enemy fighter jet was hit in the south of Qeshm Island by the modern advanced air defense system of the IRGC Navy, under the control of the country’s integrated air defense network.”

These incidents add to a growing list of aviation losses for the US military. On March 11, the IRGC hit a US Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet in central Iran’s airspace. US media later reported that the plane made an emergency landing at a US airbase in West Asia due to “what was believed to be Iranian fire,” but NPR said the heavily damaged aircraft “would not be able to resume operations anytime soon.”

Since the start of the conflict, Iranian forces claim they have downed “two F-35s, one F-18, two F-16s, and four F-15s.” The US military has officially confirmed the loss of “three US F-15s and one KC-135 tanker.” The Pentagon has repeatedly described these losses as “friendly fire” or “accidents.”

Recently, the US even reported the fall of an F-35 in Nevada, which military experts see as a possible cover story for losses in the war with Iran.