US rejects Iran's claims of destroying F-35 jets in missile attack

The US military on Thursday denied Iranian reports claiming that F-35 fighter jets were destroyed during a missile attack on a US military facility in Jordan. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said none of its aircraft sustained damage, directly disputing statements issued by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Conflicting accounts

Iranian officials claimed the Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan was successfully targeted, alleging that three F-35 stealth aircraft were destroyed, three more were damaged and several US military personnel, including technical staff, were killed.

CENTCOM rejected those assertions, stating that "No U.S. aircraft were destroyed or damaged in recent attempted Iranian attacks." The command added that all missiles and drones were either intercepted or failed to hit their intended targets, although it did not comment on reports regarding possible personnel casualties.

Jordan and maritime security

Earlier on Thursday, the Jordanian military announced that it intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran toward Jordan, marking the fourth straight day of similar incidents linked to escalating regional tensions.

CENTCOM also disputed Iranian claims that the oil tanker M/T Nora had broken through the US naval blockade. According to the command, more than 20 warships and hundreds of military aircraft remain deployed to enforce what it described as a "steel wall blockade." It added that US forces have redirected 24 commercial vessels and boarded four others to maintain maritime security.

Strait of Hormuz tensions

The US military further challenged IRGC statements describing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz as unsafe. CENTCOM argued that the principal threat to civilian maritime traffic stems from Iranian actions rather than coalition operations.

To support its position, the command released what it described as an intercepted radio transmission in which an alleged IRGC operative warned a commercial vessel to immediately turn back, saying: "If you disobey, you will be targeted and destroyed definitely."