Fact Check: Did Iran destroy three US F-35s and three other aircraft in a recent attack?

WASHINGTON, DC: A claim from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has sparked widespread attention online, with posts alleging that Iranian forces destroyed three US F-35 stealth fighters and three other aircraft during a recent attack on an American air base.

The assertion has spread rapidly across social media, prompting questions about whether the reported losses actually occurred. Let's fact-check the claim.

Claim: IRGC alleged Iranian forces destroyed US F-35 fighter jets

The rumor originated from an X post that amplified a claim by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), alleging that Iranian forces destroyed three US F-35 fighter jets and severely damaged three others in a ballistic missile strike on Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan.

The post claimed, "The IRGC claims it completely destroyed three US F-35 fighter jets and severely damaged three others at Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan in response to a US strike on a house in Qeshm." It further alleged that "several US officers and technical personnel were killed."

At the time of writing, the post had attracted significant engagement, with thousands of likes, shares, and comments.

The claim emerged amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Iran launched missiles toward US forces in Jordan, prompting the United States to carry out retaliatory strikes on IRGC-linked targets in Iran, including sites connected to the disputed strike on Qeshm Island, which Iranian authorities say killed civilians. 

The IRGC claimed it had inflicted major losses on the US military by targeting Al-Azraq Air Base. 

Fact Check: False

The claim is false. CENTCOM rejected the allegation, stating, "No US aircraft were destroyed or damaged in recent attempted Iranian attacks. All missiles and drones were intercepted or failed to reach targeted areas." The statement directly contradicts the IRGC's claim that it destroyed three US F-35 fighter jets and damaged three others.

Jordan's armed forces also reported that their air defense systems detected, intercepted, and shot down five Iranian missiles targeting the kingdom. Jordanian authorities reported no casualties and did not confirm any aircraft losses or significant damage consistent with the IRGC's account.

No independently verified evidence supports Iran's claim. High-resolution satellite imagery, official photographs, or credible third-party reports confirming the destruction of three US F-35s have not emerged.

Although some low-resolution satellite images circulated on social media and among open-source intelligence (OSINT) accounts appeared to show possible damage to hangars or other structures at Al-Azraq Air Base, analysts said the images were too limited to determine whether any aircraft had been destroyed or even whether F-35s were present inside the affected buildings.

Iran later released photographs that it said showed damage to hangars at the base. However, independent organizations have not verified those images, and US officials dispute Iran's interpretation of them.

The conflicting claims reflect a broader pattern seen throughout the 2026 US-Iran conflict, with Iranian authorities reporting major battlefield successes while the United States and its allies deny significant losses. The alleged US strike on Qeshm Island, which Iran says hit residential homes and killed civilians, also remains disputed, with CENTCOM describing its operations as strikes on IRGC-related targets.