Iran has claimed a historic first — striking a US F-35 stealth fighter jet during an active combat mission, a move that could reshape the narrative around air dominance in the ongoing conflict. A video circulating online appears to show the moment the jet was hit mid-air, with visible smoke and the aircraft veering off course. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says the strike happened over central Iranian airspace using advanced air defence systems. The United States has confirmed that an F-35 was forced to make an emergency landing after encountering a missile barrage, though officials have not confirmed a direct hit.

Israel has claimed it destroyed an aircraft linked to Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a strike at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport. According to the Israeli military, the aircraft was a Boeing 747 belonging to the Iranian Air Force and used by senior Iranian officials and military leaders. The strike is part of a broader Israeli air campaign targeting strategic infrastructure across Iran. Israeli officials say more than 200 targets have been hit, including missile production sites and defence installations.