IRGC Claims It Shot Down US F-18, Says Jet Crashed in Indian Ocean; CENTCOM Denies

Iran's IRGC has publicly claimed it hit an American F-18 fighter jet, with Tehran saying the aircraft crashed in the Indian Ocean.

“BREAKING US demands Iran accept defeat or be 'hit harder' than before'Iran rejects talks with US, vows to continue fightingNetanyahu says Israel is expanding a 'buffer zone' in south Lebanon Click to pause breaking news tickerpause-square-backgroundClose Breaking News Tickerclose Toggle Play Iran releases video claiming to show downing of US jet Read more Iran has released a video claiming to show the downing of a US F-18 fighter jet over the southeastern part of the country”

Al Jazeera

Video footage circulated by state media, including Press TV, appears to show a mid-air strike, but independent verification remains unavailable.

Al Jazeera

The United States Central Command quickly disputed the claim, stating that no US fighter aircraft had been shot down.

US officials, led by CENTCOM, rejected Iran's assertion and described it as false, with CENTCOM denying any US fighter aircraft had been shot down.

Several outlets characterized CENTCOM's response as a formal denial, noting an ongoing information war around the conflict.

Deccan Herald

Multiple outlets indicated there was no corroboration of damage to any US jet.

The video reportedly comes from state-linked outlets and was circulated online, with Press TV named as the source.

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Firstpost

Independent verification remains elusive, with observers noting the footage and claims lack corroborating evidence of location or pilot status.

Analysts frame this as part of a broader information-war dynamic between Tehran and Washington.

The episode unfolds amid broader West Asia escalation, as Iran and its regional partners push back against Western actions while the US counters with competing narratives.

Tehran has signaled that mediation efforts should not be read as formal negotiations, with Foreign Minister Aragchi noting that international law is treated differently by Western powers.

Mehr News Agency

As lawmakers and media monitor developments, analysts emphasize the unverified nature of both sides' claims and the ongoing information war.