Iran’s IRGC claims it hit US F-18 as ‘new air defence system’ emerges

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has released video claiming to have targeted a US F-18 fighter jet, the latest in a series of reported strikes on American aircraft. Al Jazeera's Ali Hashem reported from Tehran that details remain limited and unverified, but the claim follows earlier Iranian assertions of hitting advanced US jets, including an F-35—the first time the stealth fighter has reportedly been struck in combat—as well as F-15 and F-16 aircraft in recent days. The IRGC says it is using a new air defence system developed after the 12-day war in June 2025. There has been partial acknowledgement from US sources that at least one aircraft was targeted, though the extent of damage and effectiveness remains unclear. The developments challenge the perception that US and Israeli forces have enjoyed uncontested control of Iranian skies over the past three weeks, suggesting Tehran may have improved its ability to counter aerial operations. Hashem noted that while details remain unclear, the reported incidents indicate Iran is now capable of targeting US fighter jets, even if the full extent of its new capabilities remains unknown. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #IRGC #Iran #IranWar #USIsraelWarOnIran #IranAirDefence #Israel #F18 #F35 #F15 #AttacksOnUSFighterJets #MiddleEastCrisis #Israel #OperationEpicFury #OperationTruePromise4