CENTCOM denies Iran shot down US F-15 as false reports spread online
March 23, 2026
Yesterday, fresh reports emerged online claiming that a fourth American F-15 had been shot down in the conflict over Iran. This appears to be false, with CENTCOM denying it and accounts seemingly reusing old footage from the trio that was shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait.
CENTCOM denies that another F-15 was shot down
On Sunday, CENTCOM dispelled rumours that another F-15 was shot down by posting, “FALSE: Rumours claim the Iranian regime recently shot down a U.S. F-15 over Iran.”
🚫 FALSE: Rumors claim the Iranian regime recently shot down a U.S. F-15 over Iran.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 22, 2026
✅ TRUE: U.S. forces have flown more than 8,000 combat flights during Operation Epic Fury. No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran. pic.twitter.com/GzwyY2WktC
It added, “TRUE: U.S. forces have flown more than 8,000 combat flights during Operation Epic Fury. No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran.”
Clash Report posted a video purporting to show Iran targeting an F-15. The account stated, “Iranian air defenses engaged an F-15 jet near the Strait of Hormuz. Two small missiles apparently missed the target, and then jet deployed flares.”
Iranian air defenses engaged an F-15 jet near the Strait of Hormuz.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 22, 2026
Two small missiles apparently missed the target, and then jet deployed flares. pic.twitter.com/iaLTKPUdFJ
Even so, Iran claims to have shot the jet down. OSINTDefender noted, “Iranian state TV outlet Tasnim has claimed that Iran has shot down a U.S. F-15 fighter jet. However, such reports noticeably lacked any evidence of the shoot down or a locality. These reports are currently unconfirmed.”
The three F-15s shot down over Kuwait
The greatest loss of American fighter jets has been the bizarre incident of a Kuwait F/A-18 Hornet shooting down three US F-15s in quick succession and at close range.
An US F-15 was shot down over Kuwait due to friendly fire. The pilot ejected successfully and was later recovered by locals on the ground. pic.twitter.com/2hh7tglSsq
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) March 2, 2026
Time will tell just what breakdown in procedures and communication went on for that to happen. All six pilots managed to eject and survive the crashes.
Additionally, the US lost a KC-135 tanker after a mid-air collision, claiming the lives of all six crew members on board. The second KC-135 managed to land safely, showing damage to its tail.
Five other KC-135s were reportedly damaged on the ground in Saudi Arabia, although much of the damage appears to have been very light.
Importantly, three Kuwaiti Eurofighter Typhoons have been reportedly destroyed on the ground, while two Italian Eurofighters were reportedly damaged on the ground but are repairable. Italy also lost an MQ-9 Reaper drone on the ground stationed in Kuwait.
BREAKING: Three days ago, the IRGC Aerospace Force managed to target and destroy three Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets of the Kuwait Air Force at Ali Al-Salem Air Base. They mistook their maintenance hangars for hangars used by MQ-9A Reaper armed drones of the U.S. Air Force.… pic.twitter.com/ywStDiNwaA
— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) March 12, 2026
Separately, at this stage in the war, the conversation is not so much about how many Iranian military aircraft have been destroyed as it is about how many flyable aircraft might still remain.
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CENTCOM claims no fighter jets have been shot down
While CENTCOM’s claim that no US fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran appears to be true based on open-source reporting, it does need some qualification.
It does appear that Iran managed to hit a US F-35 over Iran, although that aircraft managed to make an emergency landing at a friendly airport. The pilot reportedly survived, but has shrapnel wounds.
The circumstances of that F-35 remain debated. Many have expressed doubt about a targeting video released by Iran, with some claiming it has been AI-generated or altered.
Regardless, former F-14 Tomcat pilot Ward Carroll explained on his YouTube channel that this could be a very worrying development and would force the US to adapt.
It’s also worth noting that while MQ-9 Reaper drones are not fighter jets, they are higher-end combat aircraft costing around $30 million apiece, depending on configuration. Iran is estimated to have shot down around a dozen or more of these.
Featured Image: DVIDS
