Iranian state media reported on Sunday that the country’s air defense systems shot down a “hostile” F-15 fighter jet near Hormuz Island.
The claim first carried by Press TV and the semi-official ISNA news agency marks a significant escalation in the ongoing regional conflict.
According to a statement from Iran’s Joint Air Defense Command, the aircraft was intercepted over the southern coast after it allegedly entered Iranian airspace.
Officials stated that the “enemy F-15 fighter jet was detected and tracked” before it was targeted.
The reports further claimed the aircraft had “fired a missile” shortly before being downed by ground-to-air defense systems.
While Iranian media released a 29-second video purportedly showing the tracking and engagement of the jet, there has been no independent confirmation of the incident.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the specific Sunday claim, though it has previously dismissed similar reports as “baseless and not true.”
The incident follows a week of high tension occurring just hours after a US ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, the fate of the pilot and the location of any wreckage remain unknown.
