Iran Downed a U.S. Aircraft for the First Time in the War—An F-35 Made an Emergency Landing at a Base in the Middle East

A US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at an airbase in the Middle East, CNN reports, citing sources.

According to the network, the aircraft, which had been on a combat mission, was likely hit over Iranian territory. Despite the damage, the crew managed to land the jet safely, and an investigation into the circumstances of the incident is now underway.

CNN notes that this is the first recorded instance since the start of the war in which Iran has managed to hit an American aircraft.

The F-35 belongs to the fifth—and most advanced—generation of fighter jets, with an estimated cost of around $100 million per unit. During the war with Iran, these aircraft are being deployed by both the United States and Israel.