US F-35 Fighter Jet Forced To Make Emergency Landing After Taking Fire

A U.S. F-35 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing at a U.S. air base in the Middle East after taking fire believed to have come from Iran, according to two sources familiar with the incident.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, said the fifth-generation stealth aircraft was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it had to divert and land.

“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins said. “This incident is under investigation.”

If confirmed, it would mark the first known time Iran has hit a U.S. aircraft since the war began in late February. Both the United States and Israel have been flying F-35s in the conflict. The jets cost upwards of $100 million apiece and are considered among the most advanced fighter platforms in the world.

A US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at US air base in the Middle East after it was struck by what is believed to be Iranian fire, sources tell @halbritz & @OrenCNN.

This would be the first time Iran has hit a US aircraft (in this case a stealth, 5th generation…

— Zachary Cohen (@ZcohenCNN) March 19, 2026

The emergency landing comes as senior U.S. officials continue to project confidence about the campaign’s trajectory. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the U.S. is “winning decisively” and that Iran’s air defenses have been “flattened.”

CENTCOM has not provided additional details about what struck the aircraft, the extent of any damage, or whether the pilot required medical treatment beyond standard precautionary checks. Officials said the incident remains under investigation.

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