Iran announced on Friday that it had shot down a US F-35 stealth fighter jet, in a claim that could mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.
In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the aircraft was targeted and destroyed over Iranian airspace using what it described as a newly developed, advanced air defense system. The IRGC added that the pilot was unlikely to have survived the incident, dw.com reports.
The statement further claimed that this would be the second US F-35 jet downed since the outbreak of hostilities.
There was no immediate response from US officials. However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has previously rejected similar Iranian assertions, dismissing earlier reports of successful strikes against US fighter aircraft.
