Fact Check: Are posts claiming an F-15 being shot down in Iran true?

TEHRAN, IRAN: The ongoing US-Iran war has spread beyond Iran's borders, involving strikes in Lebanon, the Indian Ocean, and Gulf states, raising fears of a broader regional or global conflict.

Amid this, several social media posts claimed that an F-15 was recently shot down in Iran. But is there any truth to this viral clip? Let us find out below.

Claim: Video shows an F-15 being shot down in Iran

Several X users claimed that an F-15 was shot down in Iran. An X user wrote, "There are unconfirmed reports of an F-15 crashing in Iran, where the US reportedly conducted an operation to evacuate the pilots."

Similarly, @sentdefender account on X claimed in a now-deleted post that a F-15E had gone down, which garnered nearly 800,000 views before it was taken down. The post claimed the aircraft had gone down during a strike mission over southwestern Iran, but said the proximate cause was unknown. 

As per the claim, the Strike Eagles were said to have been able to eject safely and were then recovered in a joint US-Israeli combat search and rescue mission. Furthermore, claims about the loss had already been swirling amongst the open-source community.

Fact Check: False, CENTCOM denies claims

The claims made in the online posts are false, as the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied claims circulating online of the loss of another F-15E Strike Eagle as part of ongoing operations against Iran.

Interestingly, earlier this week, three Strike Eagles were downed in an apparent friendly fire incident, reportedly by a Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornet.

In an X post on Thursday, March 5, CENTCOM stated, "Rumors circulating on social media of a U.S. F-15E crash in Iran early Wednesday are baseless and NOT TRUE."

Furthermore, a CENTCOM spokesperson also told The War Zone that no aircraft were downed other than those in Kuwait.

Moreover, @sentdefender mentioned in a clarification post on X, "We have made the decision to delete reports made last night regarding the crash of a USAF F-15E Strike Eagle in Iran and the successful evacuation of the crewmembers by U.S. and Israeli Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR)."

"Defender Media maintains confidence in its sources; however, the story is as of now being officially and publicly denied by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)," the X post added.