Fact Check: Is Iran's claim it shot down an American F-18 jet true?

WASHINGTON, DC: The US-Iran war has entered its fourth week with no ceasefire in sight. There have been thousands of strikes on Iranian military infrastructure, missile production, naval assets, and some energy sites.

Recently, Iran claimed it has "successfully targeted" an American F-18 fighter jet amid escalating war with US and Israeli forces. But is there any truth to this claim? Let us find out below.

Claim: Iran shot down an American F-18 jet

Tehran released a video on Wednesday, March 25, purportedly showing a fighter jet losing altitude after being struck by what seemed like a ballistic missile in mid-air. 

Meanwhile, Iran's Press TV posted the video on its official channel on X and wrote, "Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announces that it has successfully targeted an American F-18 fighter jet."

Interestingly, the post did not provide any details on the location of the attack, the level of damage, or the pilot's status.

The viral clip shows the aircraft in flight before a flash of light struck it mid-air. Soon, the jet seemed to become unstable, trailing what seems like a plume, suggesting it lost control. 

Iran has launched missile and drone attacks on Israel, US bases, and Gulf infrastructure. The Gulf nation has imposed a partial closure or control over the Strait of Hormuz, attacking or charging fees on some shipping, disrupting more than 20% of global oil trade. 

Meanwhile, retaliatory strikes have hit allies like the UAE, Bahrain, and others.

Fact Check: False, US denies Iran's claim

The claims made by Iran that it has "successfully targeted" an American F-18 fighter jet amid escalating war with US and Israel are not true, as American forces denied the claim and said no fighter jet was shot down by Iran.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) wrote in a post on X, "FALSE: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a U.S. F/A-18 fighter was struck over Chabahar using new advanced air defense systems. TRUE: No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran."

Interestingly, this is not the first time CENTCOM has rejected Iranian claims of shooting down American jets. Iranian media also claimed twice last week that the IRGC shot down US F-15 jets.

However, the claims were fact-checked by CENTCOM, saying, "US forces have flown more than 8,000 combat flights during Operation Epic Fury" and "No US fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran." 

Furthermore, Iran also claimed it damaged a US F-35 stealth fighter, which made an emergency landing at an American base in the Middle East after sustaining suspected fire during a mission over Iranian airspace. 

However, this time, US officials confirmed the incident, and noted that the pilot safely evacuated on time and an investigation was underway.