A U.S. F-35 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing at an American air base in the Middle East after it was struck by what authorities believe to be Iranian fire, CNN reported on March 19, 2026.
The incident occurred while the fifth-generation stealth aircraft was flying a combat mission over Iran. Capt. Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), confirmed that the jet landed safely. “The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins stated. The event is under investigation.
Iranian state media has released video footage which it claims shows one of its air defense systems striking the F-35. The clip, featuring an interface consistent with Iranian EO/IR systems, has been widely circulated; open-source analysts note it does not appear to be AI-generated, though full authenticity remains unverified by independent sources.
Iran just released footage reportedly showing one of its air defense systems successfully hitting an American F-35. pic.twitter.com/lWxzJsw5PN
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 19, 2026
This marks the first time Iran has hit a U.S. aircraft during the war that began in late February 2026. Both the U.S. and Israel operate F-35s in the conflict. The advanced fighter jet costs over $100 million per unit.