WANA (Mar 19) – For the first time in history, the United States has acknowledged that one of its F-35 stealth fighters was struck—an incident that could signal a significant shift in military dynamics.

 

CNN and a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that Iranian air defense forces targeted an F-35 aircraft, which later carried out an emergency landing at a U.S. airbase after sustaining damage.

 

The F-35, a fifth-generation fighter widely regarded as a symbol of American technological superiority and a tightly controlled strategic asset, had not previously been publicly confirmed as struck in combat conditions.

 

In parallel, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released an official statement claiming that the aircraft, described as belonging to the “hostile U.S. army,” was hit at 2:50 a.m. local time over central Iran by an advanced domestically developed air defense system. According to the statement, the jet sustained serious damage, and its final status remains under review, with the possibility of a crash not ruled out.

 

The IRGC framed the incident as part of a broader pattern of air defense operations, stating that more than 125 “intruding American-Israeli drones” had been intercepted. Officials described the developments as evidence of “targeted and effective upgrades” to Iran’s integrated air defense network.

 

Adding to these claims, the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force stated that the systems used to counter advanced aircraft such as the F-35 are “more dangerous than the jets themselves,” emphasizing that such capabilities are the result of domestically developed expertise.

 

Separately, a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced that air defense units from both the army and the IRGC had intercepted and destroyed four “hostile aircraft” in Iranian airspace since the previous night.

 

U.S. F-35s have long been a cornerstone of America’s military advantage, exported only to select allies and subject to strict operational controls.

 

Iranian sources described the reported strike as a turning point, particularly following earlier incidents involving F-15 aircraft and aerial refueling systems, which they argue reflects a broader shift in the global balance of military power.