Iran has announced that its military forces have taken down a US stealth fighter jet over central Iran, leading to a search and rescue mission for the pilot by the US. The semi-official Iranian Mehr news agency reported this morning that an F-35 fighter jet was shot down, with the pilot’s survival deemed unlikely.
Additionally, the government-affiliated Iranian news network Press TV shared images showing the debris of the downed US F-35 fighter jet. The Iranian semi-official Tasnim News Agency later posted a video on its Telegram channel, claiming it showed a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft involved in a US search and rescue operation related to the incident.
While the US military has not yet commented on the reports from Iranian media, previous Iranian claims of a fighter being downed over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz were refuted by CENTCOM, the US military command in the region. It was clarified that nearly two weeks ago, a US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing after suspected enemy fire.
Despite the silence from the Pentagon regarding the recent Iranian claims, speculations suggest that a rescue operation may be underway to recover the downed pilot. Sky News military analyst Sean Bell highlighted the complexity of such rescue missions, involving helicopters, gunships, and soldiers. Although there are concerns that Iran might use the situation for propaganda, the veracity of the claims made by Iranian media remains unconfirmed.
