Friendly fire, no hostile fire and unexplained damage: The curious case of US fighter jet going down during Iran war

Amid claims by Iran’s IRGC that it struck an F-35 fighter jet, the explanation offered by US armed forces over recent aircraft losses has come under renewed scrutiny. According to a Bloomberg report, the United States has lost at least 16 aircraft during the ongoing Middle East conflict, but the reasons behind many of these losses have largely been attributed to unclear or unexplained circumstances.

Here is what US Central Command has said in response to the latest reports surrounding the loss of air assets:

F-35 incident: US confirmation vs Iran’s claims

A CNN report citing US defence officials confirmed that a US F-35 made an emergency landing after being struck by what is believed to be Iranian fire during a surface-to-air missile barrage. The pilot is safe and an investigation is underway.


Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had successfully hit the stealth fighter in central Iran’s airspace using advanced air defence systems, stating the jet’s fate remains unclear and a crash is possible. It also said the interception followed the downing of over 125 US and Israeli drones, pointing to upgrades in its air defence network.

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US Central Command spokesperson Capt Tim Hawkins said the aircraft was flying a combat mission over Iran when it was forced to land, confirming it landed safely and the pilot is in stable condition.

F-15E jets downed in friendly fire over Kuwait

US Central Command confirmed that three US F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident. During active combat, which included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones, the fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences.

All six aircrew members ejected safely, were recovered and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged the incident, and US officials expressed gratitude for the support provided by Kuwaiti defence forces during the ongoing operation.

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KC-135 crash in Iraq under investigation

In a separate incident on March 12, US Central Command said it was aware of the loss of a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft during Operation Epic Fury. The incident occurred in friendly airspace and involved two aircraft. One aircraft went down in western Iraq, while the second landed safely.

Officials said the crash was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire. All six crew members aboard the KC-135 that went down were later confirmed dead. The identities of the personnel are being withheld until families are notified.

The circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, and authorities said more information will be released as details become available.