An American F‑35A Lightning II was damaged during a combat mission over Iran on 19 March 2026 and forced to make an emergency landing on a US regional base. The aircraft returned under its own power and the pilot, who suffered shrapnel wounds, was reported in stable condition after medical care.
US Central Command acknowledged the emergency landing and the pilot’s condition but did not publicly confirm the exact cause of the damage or the level of impairment. The incident is under investigation and no official detail has been released on the weapons system involved or the precise flight profile.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that its air defenses had “severely damaged” the F‑35 around 2:50 a.m. local time and released infrared footage presented as the detection and engagement of the stealth jet by a ground-based system. The authenticity of these videos has not been independently verified.
In early April, Iranian forces further claimed to have shot down a F‑35 over central Iran, describing the aircraft as completely destroyed and hinting at a second F‑35 lost. No wreckage, satellite imagery or independent evidence has been produced, and the United States has not reported any F‑35 missing. At this stage, only the March damage and emergency landing are firmly established, while later claims of a destroyed or second aircraft remain uncorroborated.