US F-35, worth over $100 million, forced to land after being hit by Iranians

(Patria) - A US F-35 fighter jet was forced to land at a US air base in the Middle East after being hit by fire believed to originate from Iran, two sources familiar with the situation report to CNN.

Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesman for the US Central Command, confirmed that the fifth-generation stealth aircraft was "conducting a combat mission over Iran" when it had to make an emergency landing.

- The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition. This incident is under investigation - Hawkins stated.

This incident would be the first time Iran has hit a US aircraft in the war that began in late February.

Both the US and Israel are using F-35s in the conflict, with the aircraft's price exceeding $100 million.

The forced landing comes as senior US officials continue to claim that their campaign against Iran has achieved broad success.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said today that the United States has "definitively won" and that Iranian air defense systems are "completely destroyed."