Iran’s air defense forces have claimed to shoot down an F-15 fighter jet near the southern Hormuz Island. The semi-official ISNA, Mehr News, and Anadolu Agency confirmed the report on Sunday, March 22, 2026. According to a statement from Iran’s Joint Air Defense Command, the aircraft allegedly entered Iranian airspace over the southern coastal region and fired a missile moments before being downed. Tehran has not provided details about the aircraft’s origin, the pilot’s fate, or any physical evidence of the wreckage.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following a joint U.S.-Israel military operation across Iran on February 28. That offensive reportedly killed more than 1,300 people, including Iran’s then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran has launched multiple drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting U.S. military assets.

The latest claim near Hormuz Island underscores the continuing volatility in the region, though independent verification of Iran’s statement remains unavailable.