A US F-35 fighter jet was reported to have made an emergency landing at a military base in the Middle East after being hit by Iranian fire. The incident was considered the first direct attack by Iran on US or Israeli air assets during the current conflict.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft landed safely and that the pilot’s health condition is good. Officials announced that the incident is being investigated in all its aspects.
According to two sources speaking to CNN, the F-35 fighter jet hit by Iran was redirected to a US military base in the region, preventing a possible disaster.
Meanwhile, several accidents and incidents involving US air assets have also occurred in the region recently. Last week, six American service members were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq. Initial findings indicated that the crash may have resulted from a mid-air collision rather than enemy fire.
Additionally, in another incident over Kuwait during the early days of the conflict, three US F-15 fighter jets were revealed to have been shot down due to “friendly fire.” It was reported that all pilots survived thanks to their ejection seats.
