By Ryan Morgan
A U.S. F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet was damaged during combat operations over Iran on March 19 but was able to safely land.
“We are aware of reports that a U.S. F-35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing at a regional U.S airbase after flying a combat mission over Iran,” Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command, said in a prepared statement to The Epoch Times.
“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition. This incident is under investigation.”
The report comes nearly three weeks into joint U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran.
Much of the joint U.S.–Israeli military campaign has focused on efforts to degrade Iran’s military capabilities, including its air forces and air defense capabilities.
Iranian state media has published footage purporting to show one of its air defense systems striking the U.S. stealth fighter jet.
The Pentagon and the U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment on the footage published by Iranian media.
Hawkins confirmed the aircraft damaged in this incident was an F-35A variant operated by the U.S. Air Force.
The U.S. Navy flies the F-35C carrier variant, and the U.S. Marine Corps operates both the F-35C and the short-takeoff F-35B variant.
Israel operates its own variant known as the F-35I Adir.
News of the incident broke shortly after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine concluded a Pentagon press briefing. During the briefing, Hegseth described Iranian air defenses as having been “flattened” by recent U.S. and Israeli operations.
Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait on March 1, in what U.S. officials have described as a friendly fire incident. All six air crew operating those aircraft were able to safely eject.
An Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft crashed over western Iraq on March 12, resulting in the death of all six of its flight crew. A second KC-135 was also involved in the incident, but managed to land safely in Israel.
Around 10 more unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drones have also been shot down during the recent hostilities.
As of March 18, Central Command reported U.S. forces have flown more than 8,000 combat flights as part of the ongoing operations against Iran, and have carried out more than 7,800 strikes.
In his remarks at the Pentagon on March 19, Hegseth said that today “will be the largest strike package yet.”
