Tehran, June 14, 2025: Iran on Saturday claimed to have shot down a third Israeli F-35 stealth fighter jet, marking what could be a historic escalation in its ongoing conflict with Israel. If verified, this would be the first confirmed combat loss of a U.S.-made fifth-generation F-35 aircraft.
In an official statement, the Iranian Army said the jet was intercepted over western Iran by a domestically developed air defense system. The pilot reportedly ejected before capture by Iranian special forces, according to foreign media reports.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency had earlier reported the downing of two Israeli jets, including an F-35, within a 24-hour period. Saturday’s incident, if confirmed, raises the total number of Israeli F-35s claimed to have been downed to three since the beginning of Israel’s large-scale offensive on Iran, as reported by the Tehran Times.
Of the previous incidents, one Israeli pilot was reportedly killed, while another—identified in some reports as a female pilot—was taken into custody. Iran also claimed to have neutralized multiple micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) used in recent Israeli air operations.
No further details about the identity or nationality of the newly captured pilot have been released by Iranian authorities. The developments come amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation, with both nations appearing to edge closer to a full-scale war.
The aerial clash follows intense Israeli airstrikes launched early Friday morning, targeting Tehran and other major Iranian cities. Iranian officials report that the strikes killed approximately 100 people, including civilians, high-ranking military personnel, and nuclear scientists. Strategic military and nuclear facilities were also reportedly hit.
In response, Iran has launched five waves of ballistic missile strikes, claiming to have destroyed or damaged over 150 Israeli military and intelligence sites in the occupied territories. Kamikaze drones have also been deployed in ongoing attacks, and Iranian media suggests preparations are underway for additional missile launches.
The claims of multiple F-35 losses have drawn global attention, prompting calls from defense analysts and international observers for independent verification. The Israeli government has yet to confirm the downing of any of its aircraft or the capture of its personnel.
Meanwhile, Iran reported on Saturday that three more nuclear scientists were killed in Israeli air raids, bringing the total number of Iranian scientific personnel killed in recent days to nine. The newly identified victims — Ali Bakhouei Karimi, a mechanical systems expert; Mansour Asgari, a physicist; and Saeed Borji, a materials engineer — were described by Iranian officials as key figures in the country’s nuclear research program.
These deaths follow earlier strikes that killed six additional nuclear scientists and three senior military commanders, making this one of the deadliest attacks on Iran’s scientific and defense community in recent memory. Iranian authorities have condemned the killings as “terrorist acts” carried out by what they call the “Zionist regime.”
As both nations continue to trade blows across air and missile domains, fears are mounting that the situation could spiral into a wider regional war with global ramifications.
