A U.S. F-35 reportedly absorbed hostile fire during a combat mission over Iran and diverted to an undisclosed Middle East base — the first manned U.S. aircraft damaged by enemy action since the air war began Feb. 28.
A U.S. military F-35 stealth fighter made an emergency landing at an undisclosed location in the Middle East after reportedly sustaining damage from enemy fire during a combat mission over Iran, U.S. Central Command said.
The incident, first reported by CNN citing anonymous sources, would mark the first time hostile fire has damaged an American aircraft since the joint U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran began on Feb. 28. U.S. Central Command, which is overseeing American operations under the campaign Washington has designated Operation Epic Fury, confirmed the emergency landing but stopped short of confirming the specific nature of the emergency or whether hostile fire caused the damage.
The pilot was described as being “in stable condition,” a characterization that suggests there may have been an injury.
The specific F-35 variant involved has not been confirmed. The U.S. Air Force has deployed F-35As during the campaign, and the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, also operating in the region, carries a squadron of F-35Cs. CENTCOM has previously released photographs of Air Force F-35As on the ground as part of the operation.
Israel’s air force has simultaneously committed its specialized F-35I jets to a concurrent campaign over Iran, which Israel has designated Operation Roaring Lion.
Stealth aircraft — including the F-35 and the Northrop Grumman B-2 bomber — have conducted missions inside Iranian airspace throughout the past three weeks of the campaign. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said Washington has established localized air superiority over Iran’s southern coastal region, with survivable platforms such as the F-35 operating deeper inside Iranian territory.
On Thursday, Caine disclosed that non-stealthy Fairchild Republic A-10 attack jets and Boeing AH-64E attack helicopters are operating along the Iranian coast over the Strait of Hormuz — a signal that the Pentagon views that airspace as relatively permissible.
The Air Force has lost multiple aircraft since operations began, though the F-35 incident would represent the first case of an American aircraft sustaining damage from Iranian fire. Three USAF Boeing F-15Es were shot down by Kuwaiti defenses in a friendly fire incident; all six crew members ejected safely. A KC-135 tanker crashed over Iraq in what appears to have been an aerial refueling mishap, killing all six crew aboard. The Pentagon has said neither enemy nor friendly fire contributed to the tanker crash.
Key Takeaways
- A U.S. F-35 stealth fighter made an emergency landing at an undisclosed Middle East location after reportedly taking enemy fire over Iran — the first American aircraft damaged by hostile fire since Operation Epic Fury launched Feb. 28.
- CENTCOM confirmed the emergency landing but has not confirmed whether hostile fire was involved or which F-35 variant sustained damage.
The pilot was described as “in stable condition,” suggesting a possible injury. - U.S. Air Force F-35As and Navy F-35Cs are both active in the region; Israel is simultaneously flying F-35I jets under Operation Roaring Lion.
- Prior U.S. aircraft losses include three F-15Es downed by friendly fire over Kuwait and a KC-135 tanker that crashed over Iraq, killing all six crew.
