A US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at a US airbase in the Middle East after it was suspected to have been attacked by the Iranian Air Force.
Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for the US Central Command, stated that the pilot was ordered to make an emergency landing while conducting a mission over Iran, and the pilot landed safely.
This is the first time since the conflict began in February that Iran has successfully attacked a US fighter jet.
Previously, the US lost other fighter jets in this war. Three US F-15 fighters were unintentionally shot down by Kuwait’s air defense system, but all six crew members ejected safely. Last week, a KC-135 refueling aircraft was attacked and crashed in western Iraq. Although the cause remains unclear, the US military said the incident was not caused by enemy fire or friendly fire. All six crew members aboard the KC-135 died.
A lingering question in this conflict is what will happen next. Earlier, CNN reported that US Marine units are heading to the Middle East region, and the amphibious assault ship Tripoli was spotted approaching Singapore earlier this week.
As the war enters its third week, senior US officials continue to claim broad success in the campaign against Iran. On the morning of 19 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the US is "decisively winning" and that Iran’s air defense systems have been "completely destroyed."
/sourceCNA