In a major development in the ongoing US-Israel offensive against Iran, a U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter was reportedly struck by Iranian fire during a combat mission over central Iran on March 19, 2026.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins stated that the fighter jet made an emergency landing at a regional airbase and the pilot is “in a stable condition”. This incident marks the first instance of an American fighter aircraft being hit by enemy fire in the current conflict.
Since the F-35 Lightning II is an advanced stealth fighter, Iranians hitting it successfully also signals another remarkable development, indicating that Iran has the capability to pierce stealth technology.
There are videos circulating online claiming that the F-35 Lightning II was hit and had crashed, but CENTCOM denies this, asserting that it managed to land and the pilot is safe.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the hit, asserting its advanced air defence systems pierced the F-35’s stealth capabilities and “seriously damaged” the jet. Both the USA and Israel are using the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters in Operation Epic Fury. The aircraft, considered the world’s most advanced stealth fighter, costs more than $100 million.
Earlier statements by US President Donald Trump and others suggesting that they had ‘underestimated’ Iran’s capabilities and scale of retaliation are also reflected here, because the vulnerability of US advanced stealth technology amid intensified Iranian countermeasures are confimed if the IRGC has been able to hit an F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. News reports indicate US military investigators are examining the breach in their stealth technology.
