A U.S. F-35 Lightning II fighter jet made an emergency landing at an American air base in the Middle East after reportedly coming under what is believed to be Iranian fire, according to sources familiar with the incident, according to CNN.
Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for United States Central Command, said the fifth-generation stealth aircraft was conducting a combat mission over Iran when it was forced to land.
An urgent investigation is underway to determine how an F-35 stealth fighter jet, which costs roughly $100 million and is nearly invisible to radar, was struck during a combat mission.
@ABC News' @JamesAALongman reports. https://t.co/rIXe8tdFfJ pic.twitter.com/cjZDLzqU8k
— ABC News (@ABC) March 20, 2026
He confirmed that the aircraft landed safely and that the pilot is in stable condition, adding that an investigation into the incident is currently underway.
This marks the first known case of Iran successfully targeting a U.S. aircraft since the outbreak of hostilities in late February. Both the United States and Israel have been deploying F-35 jets in the ongoing conflict.
Each F-35 jet is valued at over $100 million, making it one of the most advanced and expensive fighter aircraft in operation.
Iran's Parliament Speaker says strike on F-35 fighter jet marks 'COLLAPSE' of 'statue of invincibility and arrogance of US military'
'This symbol was struck for the first time in the world... this was the collapse of an order' pic.twitter.com/35UaY8MLrw
— RT (@RT_com) March 20, 2026
The incident comes as senior U.S. officials continue to assert that their campaign against Iran is progressing successfully. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated earlier Thursday that the United States is achieving a “decisive victory” and claimed that Iranian air defenses have been “completely destroyed.”
Despite those claims, the emergency landing highlights the continuing operational risks facing U.S. forces amid escalating military tensions in the region.
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