- Iran released footage it said showed a downed U.S. fighter over its territory, with wreckage analysis indicating the aircraft was an F-15E Strike Eagle from the 494th Fighter Squadron rather than the initially claimed F-35
- The incident appears to be the first confirmed combat loss of a crewed U.S. Air Force aircraft over Iranian territory since the start of the war, highlighting the growing risks of strike operations in contested airspace
Iran said it had shot down a United States Air Force fighter jet over its territory, and footage released by Iranian channels appears to show the wreckage of an F-15E Strike Eagle from the U.S. Air Force’s 494th Fighter Squadron.
Iranian outlets initially claimed the aircraft was an F-35, but a closer review of the debris shown in the video points to a different aircraft. Visible sections of the airframe, including parts of the fuselage and external mounting points, match the layout of the F-15E rather than the stealth design of the F-35.
If confirmed, the loss would be the first known combat loss of a crewed U.S. Air Force aircraft over Iranian territory since the war began.
The video released by Iran showed scattered wreckage that analysts say is consistent with the Strike Eagle, a twin-engine fighter used for long-range strike missions and air-to-air combat. The F-15E remains one of the U.S. Air Force’s primary aircraft for attacking defended ground targets while retaining the ability to engage enemy aircraft.
No further details were immediately available from Tehran on how the jet was brought down. Iranian officials also did not release information on the condition or whereabouts of the crew.
There was also no immediate public confirmation from the Pentagon or the United States Air Force, leaving key details unresolved, including the exact location of the incident and the mission the aircraft was flying at the time.
The aircraft is reported to have been assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron, known as the “Panthers,” one of the U.S. Air Force’s front-line strike units. The squadron regularly flies the F-15E Strike Eagle, a platform built for deep strike missions against heavily defended targets.
