Middle East Monitoring Desk Islamabad
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said its air defense units shot down a fighter jet and five unmanned or cruise aerial systems in one day, calling it a “dark day” for US and Israeli air forces.
In a statement released on Friday night, the IRGC described a large-scale aerial engagement over Iran in which its air defense forces intercepted multiple hostile targets across several regions, asserting that the operations demonstrate growing control over the country’s airspace amid ongoing US-Israeli aggression.
In a decisive and enduring battle, Iran’s air defenders brought down one fighter jet and five other aerial systems, marking a dark day for the US and Israeli air forces in Iranian skies, the IRGC said.
According to the statement, IRGC Aerospace Force successfully intercepted and destroyed two cruise missiles over the skies of Khomein and Zanjan, two MQ-9 attack drones over Isfahan, and one Hermes drone over Bushehr. The interceptions were reportedly carried out using advanced air defense systems operating under Iran’s integrated air defense network.
The IRGC further said that its aerospace defense units also successfully shot down an advanced hostile fighter jet in central Iran.
It added that with the continued innovative, sustained, and precise monitoring by Iran’s air defense forces, the country’s skies will become increasingly unsafe for hostile aircraft.
Earlier, on Friday, IRGC announced that the second F-35 fighter jet was destroyed in the skies of central Iran by the new advanced defense system of the IRGC Aerospace Force. It said the doomed fighter jet belongs to the Lakenheath squadron.
The IRGC noted that the intruding fighter jet has been completely destroyed and has crashed.
In the past twelve hours, this is the second fighter jet that has been destroyed by the IRGC’s air defenses, and due to the disintegration of the aircraft, there is no information about the fate of the pilot, a statement said.
Donald Trump for President Social Media Page shared, a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over southern Iran by Iranian air defenses. One American crew member has been successfully rescued, while the search continues for the second in a high-stakes combat operation. IRGC says the jet is F-35.
The Intelligence Organization of IRGC published an image of the seat of a fighter jet that has been shot down after entering Iranian airspace, along with a message deriding US narratives about recent developments.
In a post on its X account on Friday, the IRGC Intelligence Organization released an image showing the seat of a downed aircraft.
Alongside the image, the organization wrote, “The narrative guidelines of Americans these days: call the lack of a target bank ‘dynamic operations’; portray defeat as ‘the end of the mission’; present discord and resignation as ‘a change in command’; sell the need for an agreement out of weakness as a ‘quick and smart deal’; and rename regional retreat as ‘redefining priorities.’”
The commander of the Joint Headquarters of the Iranian Air Defense reported that his forces have destroyed more than 160 hostile intruding drones since the start of US-Israeli war of aggression, along with advanced fighter jets and cruise missiles.
During a visit to Army and IRGC air defense positions, Brigadier General Alireza Elhami said the Iranian units have successfully intercepted and destroyed several advanced enemy fighter jets, over 160 drones—including MQ-9, Hermes, and LUCAS models—and dozens of cruise missiles.
He noted that these actions were carried out before the enemy could execute any offensive operations, breaking the “illusory propaganda” of the aggressors.
Brigadier General Elhami emphasized that Iranian forces are lying in wait for enemy aircraft and drones.
He explained that the targeting and downing of multiple fourth- and fifth-generation enemy fighter jets by the Army and IRGC units were the result of tactical expertise, innovative use of modern equipment, and air defense system ingenuity, which has reportedly confused enemy forces.
He added that the entire air defense network of the Army and IRGC is united and committed to protecting Iran’s skies at all costs.
