US fighter jet struck? Another F-35 shot down, claims Iran; visuals emerge

US-Iran tensions: A US fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet was downed over central Iran by a modern air-defence system of the IRGC, Iranian state media reported on Friday. Earlier, on March 19, Iran claimed to have become the first nation in the world to strike a US F-35 Lightning 2. 

US-Iran tensions: Iranian state media reported on Friday that a US fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet was hit and struck down over central Iran by the air-defence system of the Islamic Republic's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These claims come as the tensions in the Middle East region remain high, with the US and Iran continuously exchanging fire.  

Meanwhile, according to reports, officials have also said that the pilot in the US fighter jet is unlikely to have ejected. 

As per news agency ANI, Iran's state media Press TV reported, citing a statement attributed to the Spokesman of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, that it was claimed the jet was downed by a new IRGC Aerospace Force air-defence system. It further stated that the impact and crash generated a "massive explosion" that made pilot survival unlikely.

"A second US fifth-generation F-35 was struck and downed over central Iran by a new IRGC Aerospace Force air-defence system. Given the massive explosion on impact and during the crash, the pilot is unlikely to have ejected," Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters Spokesman stated as quoted by Press TV.

The same claims were made by the Central Headquarters of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), as reported by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), stating that the advanced stealth aircraft was shot down by the IRGC's modern air defence system from the Lakenheath squadron.

"The second US F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet was hit and crashed in the central Iranian sky by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' modern air defence system from the LAKEN-HEATH squadron. Due to the severe explosion of the fighter jet upon impact and fall, it is unlikely that the pilot ejected," PBUH stated as reported by IRIB.

Meanwhile, the Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai, sharing the alleged visuals in a post on X (formerly Twitter), wrote, "Another enemy F-35 hit and downed by our indigenous defence systems."

US F-35 Lightning 2

Earlier, on March 19, Iran claimed to have become the first nation in the world to strike a US F-35 Lightning 2, one of the most valuable US aircraft and the backbone of the US's fifth-generation warfighting capabilities.

A CNN report had cited US defence officials, and confirmed that an F-35 did perform an emergency landing after an Iranian surface-to-air missile (SAM) barrage, with the pilot safe and an investigation underway.

IRGC said it had successfully hit a US Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet in central Iran's airspace. 

According to a statement released by the IRGC on its official news website on Thursday, the jet was struck at 2:50 am local time by the IRGC's advanced, modern air defence systems.

The IRGC noted that the interception follows the successful downing of more than 125 US-Israeli drones by Iran's defence systems, signalling significant and purposeful upgrades in the country's integrated air defence network.

(with ANI inputs) 

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