US F-35 damaged by suspected Iranian fire makes emergency landing, sources say

By Haley Britzky and Oren Liebermann, CNN

(CNN) — A US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at US air base in the Middle East after it was struck by what is believed to be Iranian fire, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said the fifth-generation stealth jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to make an emergency landing. Hawkins said the aircraft landed safely and the incident is under investigation.

“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins added. “This incident is under investigation.”

The incident would be the first time Iran has hit a US aircraft in the war started in late February. Both the US and Israel are flying F-35s in the conflict; the aircraft costs upwards of $100 million.

The US has lost other aircraft in the war thus far, though none known to have been hit by enemy fire. Three US F-15 fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses, with all six crew members ejecting safely. And last week, a KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, though the cause is still unclear. The US military said the incident was “not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”

All six crew members aboard the KC-135 were killed.

Questions remain about the timeline of the conflict and what could come next. CNN previously reported that a Marine Expeditionary Unit was heading to the region; a US official confirmed it is the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Okinawa, and the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group. The USS Tripoli was seen approaching Singapore earlier this week.

As the war has nearing the end of its third week, senior US officials continue to claim widespread success in its campaign against Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday morning that the US is “winning decisively” and that Iran’s air defenses have been “flattened.”

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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