- Iran claims to have struck a US F-18 fighter jet, releasing a video of the event
- US Central Command denied any US fighter jets were shot down by Iran recently
- Iran previously claimed to down US F-15 jets, which was also refuted by CENTCOM
Iran has claimed it has "successfully targeted" an American F-18 fighter jet amid escalating war with US and Israeli forces. Tehran also released a video purportedly showing a fighter jet losing altitude after being struck by what seemed like a ballistic missile in mid-air.
Iran's Press TV posted the video on its official channel on X and wrote, "Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announces that it has successfully targeted an American F-18 fighter jet. "The post, however, did not provide details on the location of the attack, the level of damage, or the pilot's status.
The footage shows the aircraft in flight before a flash of light strikes it in mid-air. Moments later, the jet seems to become unstable, trailing what appears to be a plume, suggesting it has lost control. NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
The Fact-Check
The Iranian claim was later denied by American forces, who said no fighter jet was shot down by Iran.
"FALSE: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a US F/A-18 fighter was struck over Chabahar using new advanced air defence systems. TRUE: No US fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X.
Iranian Claims And Us Fact-Checks
This is not the first time CENTCOM has rejected Iranian claims of shooting down American jets. Last week, Iranian media claimed twice that the IRGC shot down US F-15 jets. But the claims were fact-checked by CENTCOM, which said, "US forces have flown more than 8,000 combat flights during Operation Epic Fury." No US fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran."
Iran has also claimed responsibility for damaging a US F-35 stealth fighter, which made an emergency landing at an American base in the Middle East after sustaining suspected fire during a mission over Iranian airspace. US officials confirmed the incident, noting that the pilot safely evacuated on time and that an investigation was underway. The Americans, however, stopped short of attributing it definitively to enemy action in all statements.
Operation Epic Fury, the US-led campaign launched on February 28 alongside Israeli efforts, aims to degrade Iran's missile capabilities, naval forces, proxy networks, and nuclear-related infrastructure. Nearly a month into the war, the Donald Trump administration in the US has called for a truce, a proposal rejected by Tehran.
The White House said on Wednesday it was still in talks with Iran despite Tehran reportedly rejecting a US plan to end the war--but warned President Donald Trump is ready to "unleash hell" if there is no deal. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also denied that negotiations with Iran had hit a dead end.
"Talks continue. They are productive," Leavitt told a briefing when asked about the Iranian report.
