Iran has claimed that it deployed a newly developed air defence system to target a U.S. fighter jet, with reports suggesting the F-15 Strike Eagle went down in southwestern Iran.
The audacious assertion was made by Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command on state media, with analysts believing the country may have used an advanced air defence system, possibly including platforms like the "Third Khordad", to target the U.S. aircraft.
Other analysts believe Iran detected and targeted the U.S. aircraft using passive infrared detection equipment, which means it tracked the F-15E without transmitting radar signals that U.S. jets can detect and avoid.
The incident marks the first reported U.S. aircraft losses in Iran since the war began on February 28, with the U.S. military having bombed almost 12,300 targets, per the New York Post.
