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The Claim

Two United States military aircraft were shot down or downed over Iran.

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

Only one U.S. military aircraft—an F-15E Strike Eagle—was confirmed shot down over Iranian territory, corroborated by multiple major outlets citing U.S. officials. The second aircraft, an A-10, crashed in the Persian Gulf or Kuwait according to TIME, CBS News, and Air & Space Forces Magazine, and Iran's claim of striking it remains unverified. Describing both as "downed over Iran" materially overstates the geographic scope and certainty of the second incident.

Caveats

  • The A-10's crash location is reported as Kuwait or the Persian Gulf by multiple credible sources—not over Iran—contradicting the claim's framing for the second aircraft.
  • Iran's claim of shooting down the A-10 has not been independently confirmed by U.S. officials; Channel 4 News and CBS News explicitly note the cause remains unverified.
  • An earlier CENTCOM denial (Source 10, dated March 24) refers to prior rumors and predates the confirmed April 3 F-15E shootdown—it should not be conflated with the current events.

The Receipts

  1. US Military Aircraft Hit in Iran War are First Shot Down by Enemy Fire in Over 20 Years

    Associated Press (via Military.com)

  2. US F-15E fighter jet shot down over Iran - Military Times

    Military Times

  3. Iran: search for missing US pilot continues

    Channel 4 News

  4. F-15E Downed over Iran, A-10 Crashes in Region: 2 of 3 Airmen Rescued as Search Continues - Air & Space Forces Magazine

    Air & Space Forces Magazine

  5. Trump Claimed Total Control of Iran's Airspace. Then Two Warplanes Were Downed - TIME

    TIME

  6. Live Updates: Trump warns Iran has 48 hours to reopen Strait of Hormuz as search for U.S. crew member continues

    CBS News

  7. Search continues for missing US airman after F-15 shot down over Iran

    Stars and Stripes

  8. Fighter jet shot down in Iran, purges within the top ranks: The US military is ...

    Le Monde

  9. ایران دو هواپیمای آمریکا را در یک روز سرنگون کرد - رادیو فردا

    Radio Farda

  10. ارتش آمریکا سرنگونی جنگنده اف-۱۵ خود توسط ایران را تکذیب کرد

    CGTN Persian

+ 9 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

IranUnited States military

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