Iran’s military claimed on June 13, 2025, to have shot down an Israeli F-35 fighter jet in western Iran, a potential escalation in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
According to state-affiliated Tasnim News, air defence forces intercepted a “hostile Zionist regime aircraft” using surface-to-air missiles, with the pilot, reportedly a woman, captured after ejecting. Israel has denied any aircraft losses, and no independent verification supports Iran’s claims, raising questions about their accuracy.
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🇮🇷🇮🇱 | Iran Captures Female Israeli F-35 Pilot After Jet Downing…
Iranian forces have detained a female Israeli fighter pilot—the first confirmed capture of its kind—after shooting down two F-35s.
The pilot, was found shortly after ejecting… pic.twitter.com/s80xyHkz2y
— Iran Spectator (@IranSpec) June 13, 2025Tasnim reported the jet was detected in Iranian airspace late Friday, with Iranian forces targeting it over western Iran. On Saturday, Iranian sources claimed army commandos apprehended the pilot. However, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) dismissed these reports as “fake news,” stating all aircraft returned safely, per Outlook India. No crash site imagery or evidence has been provided, and Western analysts, including open-source investigators, express scepticism due to the lack of corroboration.
Read: Iran Claims Downed Israeli 2 F35 Jets, Amid Missiles Retaliation
Context of Israel-Iran Tensions
The claim follows Israel’s Operation Rising Lion on June 13, which targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities at Natanz and Isfahan, killing senior commanders like IRGC chief Hossein Salami and 78 others, per Reuters. Iran retaliated with Operation True Promise III, launching over 100 ballistic missiles at Israeli bases, causing one death and 41 injuries. The exchanges, part of a long-standing rivalry, have heightened fears of a regional war.
Iran’s air defense forces have hunted down another Israeli enemy F-35 stealth fighter jet over the western region of the country, marking a new blow to Tel Aviv’s aerial aggression. pic.twitter.com/fJigURzNkr
— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) June 14, 2025Iranian media have previously claimed F-35 losses, such as in October 2024, which were debunked as disinformation, per Forbes. Posts on X echoed Iran’s narrative, with users like @Tasnimnews_EN claiming multiple F-35s downed, but these lack credible evidence and align with Iran’s propaganda efforts to project military strength. Israel’s advanced F-35 fleet, supported by U.S. technology, is designed for stealth, making such claims extraordinary without proof.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday accused the Iranian media of "spreading lies" while terming reports about the downing of two Israeli F-35 fighter jets as "fake news". #Israel #IDF #Iran #F35Jets #IsraelIranConflict #MiddleEastTensions pic.twitter.com/cQbPAuWki6
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) June 14, 2025The UN Security Council and leaders from the U.S., UK, and others urged restraint, with U.S. President Donald Trump noting the collapse of scheduled nuclear talks in Oman, per NBC News. The IAEA warned against targeting nuclear sites, citing safety risks. If confirmed, the F-35 incident would mark a historic first, but the absence of evidence suggests caution in accepting Iran’s claims.
