A United States Central Command (CENTCOM) official has confirmed that a US F-35 Lightning II stealth warplane made an emergency landing at an American air base in the Middle East following an in-flight incident reportedly linked to suspected Iranian fire.
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Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for CENTCOM, said in a statement that the aircraft landed safely and the pilot remains in stable condition. However, he stopped short of confirming media reports from outlets such as CNN and ABC News, which suggested the jet may have been struck during operations.
“This incident is under investigation,” Hawkins said, offering no further operational details.
The development comes amid escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran, following a large-scale air campaign launched in coordination with Israel. The offensive began after a significant US military buildup in the region, which included the deployment of advanced fighter aircraft such as the F-35.
While the US has lost multiple aircraft since the start of the conflict, officials note that none had previously been confirmed as struck by Iranian fire. Among the losses were three F-15 Eagle jets reportedly downed by friendly fire from Kuwaiti forces, as well as a KC-135 Stratotanker that crashed in Iraq.
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Since the start of the offensive on February 28, at least 13 US service members have been killed, including six in the KC-135 crash and seven in early Iranian attacks. Approximately 200 US personnel have also been wounded across multiple Middle Eastern countries, though most have since returned to duty.
The incident involving the F-35 is likely to intensify scrutiny of the ongoing conflict as investigations continue.