A US F-35 stealth warplane experienced an incident involving suspected Iranian fire, which necessitated an emergency landing at an American air base in the Middle East, according to reports from US media outlets on Thursday. Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, confirmed that the aircraft landed safely and indicated that the pilot is in stable condition. However, he did not provide any details regarding the source of the fire, nor did he explicitly confirm reports from outlets such as ABC and CNN.
“This incident is under investigation,” Hawkins stated, underscoring the seriousness of the situation amid rising tensions in the region.
The recent incident marks a notable moment in ongoing hostilities, as the United States has previously lost various military aircraft during the conflict, including a mishap involving three F-15s mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti forces and a KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq. Prior to this event, no US aircraft had been reported as being struck by Iranian fire.
The backdrop to this incident involves a significant air campaign initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran, coinciding with a substantial buildup of US military forces in the area, including the deployment of F-35s. The military operations have resulted in casualties among US service members, with thirteen reported deaths since the start of the operations on February 28. This toll includes six fatalities linked to the KC-135 crash and seven others killed in Iranian attacks earlier in the conflict.
Additionally, around 200 US military personnel have sustained injuries across seven countries in the Middle East since the onset of hostilities, although most have already returned to active duty, as reported by military sources. The evolving situation adds to the complexity of the conflicts in the region as investigations into the recent incident continue.
