Iran Claims It Shot Down American F-18 Jet, Then A US Fact-Check

NDTV:

Iran has claimed it has “successfully targeted” an American F-18 fighter jet amid escalating war with US and Israeli forces. Tehran also released a video purportedly showing a fighter jet losing altitude after being struck by what seemed like a ballistic missile in mid-air. 

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. “The post, however, did not provide details on the location of the attack, the level of damage, or the pilot’s status.

The footage shows the aircraft in flight before a flash of light strikes it in mid-air. Moments later, the jet seems to become unstable, trailing what appears to be a plume, suggesting it has lost control. NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

The Iranian claim was later denied by American forces, who said no fighter jet was shot down by Iran.