Another US jet downed, pilot captured; claims Iranian media

The agency attributed the aircraft's destruction to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), though U.S authorities have yet to provide official confirmation.
 

Iranian forces captured a U.S pilot who ejected from a fighter jet reportedly shot down over central Iran on Friday, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency.

The agency attributed the aircraft's destruction to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), though U.S authorities have yet to provide official confirmation.

The pilot ejected safely and landed inside Iranian territory, per the report, though no details on their condition or identity have been disclosed.

Iranian state television's local channel reported on Friday that a U.S. fighter pilot ejected over southwestern Iran, per the Hindustan Times. The anchor announced, “If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize.”

A separate on-screen message urged the public to “shoot them if you see them,” referencing circulating social media footage of apparent U.S. aircraft searching the area. The channel offered no further immediate details.

This marks the second F-35 Tehran claims to have downed in the past 24 hours and the third since hostilities began on February 28.

Iran previously asserted downing F-35s on April 2 and March 23, claims refuted by U.S Central Command, leading to Operation Epic Fury against Iran.

According to other reports by a Turkish news outlet, citing local agencies, reported it may have been an F-15E jet, with U.S. Air Force helicopters and planes observed in Iranian airspace searching for wreckage and the pilot.

Earlier, Iran cautioned the UN Security Council against any "provocative actions" prior to a scheduled vote on a Strait of Hormuz draft resolution, which was ultimately postponed.
“Any provocative moves by the aggressors and their backers—including at the UN Security Council over the Strait of Hormuz situation- will only worsen matters," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated.

Earlier on March 19, Iran claimed to have downed the US F-35 fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at a US air base, reported CNN, citing US officials.