Iran shoots down 'enemy' F-15 jet near Hormuz? CENTCOM says...
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Iran shoots down 'enemy' F-15 jet near Hormuz? CENTCOM says...")
A F15 jet of the US Air Force flies overhead in Europe in 2023 Photograph: (AFP)
US Central Command denied Iran’s claims of shooting down F-15 and F-35 jets, stating no US aircraft has been lost despite 8,000+ combat flights. Iran had alleged an F-15 airspace violation near Hormuz and a separate F-35 hit, underscoring rising tensions and misinformation in the war.
US Central Command on Sunday (Mar 22) has rejected Iran's claims that it shot down a US F-15 fighter jet amid escalating war that has now entered Day 24. In a post on X, the CENTCOM said that the US has so far flown more than 8,000 combat flights and no US fighter jet has been shot down by Iran. This comes after Iran claimed that it intercepted and targeted a US F-15 fighter jet near Hormuz Island after it allegedly violated Iranian airspace
This also comes almost three days after Iran claimed that it has shot down a fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet over central Iran. Turkey based news agency Anadolu also said that a spokesman of CENTCOM has no comments when asked about the same hours before the X post on Sunday. On March 1, three US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were shot down in a “friendly fire” incident involving a Kuwaiti F/A-18. All six crew members were ejected safely and were recovered.
"US forces have flown more than 8,000 combat flights during Operation Epic Fury. No US fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran," CENTCOM said in a post on X. While it clearly mentioned that the news about F-15 is false, it did not mention F-35 in its post, instead issued a generic statement that “no US fighter aircraft was shot down.”
What Iran said about F-15 and F-35?
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
According to a post on X by the Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai, an “enemy F-15 fighter jet” entered Iranian airspace, prompting a response from the country’s air defence systems. The incident occurred hours earlier over Iran’s southern coastal region near the strategic Hormuz Island.
In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Public Relations said that “a US F-35 fighter jet was struck and seriously damaged” over central Iran. “The F-35 strategic fighter of the US army was hit and seriously damaged in the central sky of Iran at 2:50 AM today by the IRGC’s advanced modern aerospace defense system. The fate of this fighter is unknown and is under investigation, and the possibility of its crash is high. After the successful hunting of more than 125 US-Israeli aggressor drones by Iran’s defense systems, this successful interception shows effective and targeted changes in the country’s integrated defense systems," the statement read. The following video also circulated on pages affiliated to the Iranian regime.
What CENTCOM said on Thursday?
Earlier on Thursday, Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said that the fifth-generation stealth jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it encountered trouble and had to land. Hawkins confirmed the aircraft landed safely and that an investigation is underway. “We are aware of reports that a US F-35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing at a regional US airbase after flying a combat mission over Iran. The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition. This incident is under investigation,” Hawkins said in a statement.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.
