Conflicting Reports Emerge Over Downed US Warplane in Iran

(MENAFN) Iranian authorities have claimed that their forces brought down a US F-35 Lightning II within Iranian airspace, with several local outlets, including Tasnim News Agency, reporting the incident. However, US officials have disputed this account, stating instead that an F-15 Eagle was lost, and confirming that one pilot has already been recovered.

According to reports, images and video footage circulating online appear to show wreckage allegedly linked to the downed aircraft. These visuals include fragments such as a tail section and an ejection seat, with markings reading “US Air Forces in Europe,” suggesting a possible connection to American forces stationed abroad.

Iranian media further asserted that a US-led rescue mission was unsuccessful. The operation reportedly involved at least two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters along with a C-130 Hercules. It was claimed that one of the helicopters sustained damage during the attempt, with widely shared images showing smoke rising from the aircraft.

Additionally, reports indicated that the pilot, who ejected before the crash and landed in western Iran, may have been taken into custody by Iranian forces.

Other accounts, citing different sources, suggested that the aircraft could belong to the US Air Force’s 494th Squadron, which operates out of RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, separate reporting has challenged the claim that a fifth-generation jet was involved, indicating instead that the downed aircraft was an F-15. These accounts also noted that one of the two crew members aboard has been rescued, while efforts to locate the second individual are still ongoing.

MENAFN04042026000045017281ID1110941743