$90 million US F-15 fighter 'failed to intercept' Iran's $20,000 Shahed-136 drones: Video shows failed chase

A video circulating on social media shows a US F-15 fighter jet appearing to chase an Iranian Shahed drone over Iraqi airspace, even as reports emerged of drone strikes hitting an oil facility in Erbil. Claims linked the footage to a wider attack, but there has been no official confirmation from the United States or its allies.

Video shows attempted interception

The footage shows a US F-15 jet closing in on what appears to be a Shahed unmanned aerial vehicle in cloudy skies. The pilot tries to move ahead of the drone but overshoots the position. Despite further attempts to regain control of the engagement, the drone escapes.

Posts on X claimed that the $ million American F-15 “failed to intercept” at least two relatively inexpensive $20,000 Shahed-136 drones.


Smoke can be seen in the background during the encounter, leading to speculation that another drone may have already struck its target.

Claims link video to Erbil attack

Several social media accounts suggested that the video is connected to an alleged Iranian strike on a Castrol oil facility in Erbil, Iraq. The attack reportedly caused a large fire. However, there has been no confirmation of this link from official sources.

The facility, operated by the Sardar Group, was reportedly targeted by three drones during the incident.

Attack on Erbil

A series of drone strikes hit a British-owned motor oil facility in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Wednesday. The attack led to a major fire, with black smoke rising over the city.

The Castrol plant, operated by the Sardar Group, was reportedly struck by three drones at different times during the morning.

The strikes came after Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Seyed Ali Mousavi, said Tehran is assessing whether to target British military bases.

The developments come amid an ongoing conflict that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. In response, Iran has targeted Gulf countries hosting US bases and Israeli locations.

Iraq remains caught between US and Iranian interests. Since the conflict began, attacks have targeted both US-linked assets and pro-Iran groups inside Iraq.

Earlier this week, Iraq allowed former paramilitary groups and pro-Iran factions within the Popular Mobilisation Forces to exercise the “right to respond in self-defence” to attacks. At the same time, authorities said they would take action against groups targeting US interests.

Bases linked to the Popular Mobilisation Forces have been hit by air strikes, which the group blamed on the United States and Israel. Some pro-Iran factions have also claimed daily attacks on US-linked targets across the region.

Separately, Iran has conducted strikes against Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.