Iran announces downing an Israeli F-35 fighter jet in Khuzestan
Iranian media reported early Saturday that Iranian air defenses successfully shot down an Israeli F-35 fighter jet in the skies over the city of Dezful in Khuzestan province, southwest Iran.
According to channels close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, an official statement, “We proudly announce the downing of an F-35 fighter jet belonging to the Zionist entity after it was precisely targeted by Iranian air defense systems while flying over Dezful”.
Despite these claims, no independent international or Israeli confirmation of the incident has yet been issued.
No photos or videos have been released documenting the moment the plane went down or revealing the fate of the pilots, leaving the Iranian account in need of further verification.
These developments come amid a critical phase of military escalation between Israel and Iran.
The two sides have exchanged airstrikes over the past few days targeting military sites and strategic nuclear facilities, amid growing indications of a widening confrontation.
The reported downing of the F-35, considered one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world, would be remarkable if confirmed, especially since it represents a pillar of the Israeli Air Force’s air superiority and possesses advanced technological capabilities that make its downing a rare occurrence.
Earlier on Friday evening, an Iranian military public relations official stated that Iranian air defenses had also managed to shoot down two additional Israeli fighter jets during an air battle in the country’s airspace, in addition to destroying a number of drones.
The military source said, in a statement carried by the Iranian “Breaking News” agency: “Our forces fiercely confronted the aggression and shot down two enemy warplanes, in addition to a number of small attack drones”.
While the targeted parties have not confirmed the veracity of these claims, Iran continues to promote what it describes as successes of air deterrence, amid a tense regional situation that portends further escalation in the coming days.
Iranian information indicated that the Iranian authorities were able to capture one of the pilots, a girl, while Israel denied losing any of its aircraft that carried out the attacks on Iran.
