Iran says it has brought down a second American F-35 fighter jet in its airspace, claiming the pilot likely did not survive the crash. The report was carried by the state news agency, though it has not been independently confirmed.
The development comes amid escalating military tensions across the region. Iranian forces have reportedly launched missiles at targets in Israel and Bahrain, while drone attacks allegedly set an oil refinery in Kuwait ablaze.
According to a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters, the stealth jet was shot down over central Iran by air defence systems operated by the Revolutionary Guard. Officials claimed the chances of the pilot surviving the strike were “very low.”
The United States has yet to respond to the claim, and independent verification of the incident remains unavailable.
Last month, the U.S. military disclosed that one of its F-35 aircrafts was forced to make an emergency landing after completing a combat mission over Iran. At the time, the pilot was reported to be in stable condition.
The latest claim, if confirmed, would mark a dramatic escalation in the already volatile standoff in the Middle East.
