Iran claims shooting down latest generation US fighter jet

April 4, 2026

TL;DR

Iranian media claims to have shot down a US F-35 fighter jet over its territory.
US officials confirmed the loss of an F-15 jet, not an F-35, and reported one pilot rescued.
Photos and videos purporting to show the crash site and debris, including an ejected pilot seat, were released.
The jet may belong to the US Air Force's 494th Squadron based in the UK.
Iranian media claimed US rescue efforts, involving Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130, failed and that a helicopter was damaged.
Tasnim reported that the pilot was likely captured by the Iranian military after ejecting over western Iran.
The US and Israel began a bombing campaign against Iran on February 28.
Iran has claimed shooting down at least two F-35 jets since the start of the war, claims denied by the US military.
Satellite imagery and footage suggest Iran may have hit US radars and destroyed several planes, including an E-3 Sentry.

Continue reading the original article