Iran has claimed that it has shot down a second advanced US F-35 fighter jet in its airspace, further escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the aircraft was intercepted and destroyed by the country’s air defense system over central Iran on Friday. Iranian state-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported that a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the jet was “completely destroyed,” with little chance of the pilot surviving.
The IRGC also claimed that the downed aircraft belonged to a US squadron deployed at the Royal Air Force’s Lakenheath base in the United Kingdom.
This marks the second such claim by Tehran in recent weeks. In late March, Iran said it had downed another F-35, a claim that was rejected by Washington. At the time, the US military stated that the aircraft had made an emergency landing due to a mechanical issue and that the pilot was safe.
Since the outbreak of the conflict on February 28, the United States has been extensively deploying Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets in operations over Iran. However, there has been no immediate response from Washington regarding the latest claim.
The situation has intensified further following recent threats from US President Donald Trump, who warned of “very severe” attacks on Iran within the next two to three weeks. In a social media post, he hinted at targeting critical infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, urging Iranian leadership to act swiftly.
Meanwhile, Iran has accused the United States and Israel of increasing strikes on civilian areas. Reports from local residents suggest that while initial attacks targeted military installations, recent operations have increasingly affected residential neighborhoods.
Iran’s Health Ministry stated that a recent strike severely damaged the century-old Pasteur Institute in Tehran, rendering it inoperable. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemned the attack, noting that more than 20 strikes on healthcare facilities in Iran have been verified since March 1.
On Friday morning, US and Israeli forces reportedly carried out two rounds of airstrikes on a bridge near Karaj, close to Tehran. Civilian casualties were reported in the first strike, while the second reportedly occurred as rescue workers were operating at the scene.
In response, Iran claimed it had launched retaliatory strikes targeting facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Israel. Among the targets cited were American-linked industrial sites in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, as well as Israel’s Rafael weapons facility.
As the conflict intensifies, fears of a broader regional war and further humanitarian consequences continue to grow.
