WANA (Mar 21) – The Public Relations Office of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that an air defense missile has struck another hostile fighter jet in central Iranian airspace.

 

According to the statement, a third F-16 fighter jet belonging to what was described as a hostile adversary was hit at 03:45 a.m. local time in central Iran. The aircraft was reportedly targeted by advanced air defense systems operated by the IRGC Aerospace Force.

 

The statement added that, hours earlier, the Israeli military had acknowledged the launch of an air defense missile toward one of its own fighter jets.

 

It further emphasized that the successful tracking and interception of more than 200 aerial targets—including drones, cruise missiles, refueling aircraft, and advanced fighter jets—during the first three weeks of the conflict reflects a significant improvement in Iran’s aerial surveillance and interception capabilities, as well as the strengthening of the country’s air defense systems.