According to Iranian media, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said the advanced jet was targeted and destroyed in central parts of the country. Officials added that the aircraft was completely destroyed, but the fate of the pilot remains unclear.

This is the second time Iran has made such a claim in recent weeks. Earlier, Tehran said it had shot down a US F-35 on March 19, but that claim was strongly rejected by the United States.

Iran also recently claimed that it had downed an Israeli F-16 fighter jet, further increasing the intensity of its military statements amid the ongoing escalation.

So far, the United States has not issued any response to the latest claim, leaving uncertainty about the actual situation. The lack of confirmation has added to confusion and speculation.

In a separate incident last month, the US military confirmed that one of its F-35 jets made an emergency landing after a mission over Iran. In that case, the pilot was reported to be safe.

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Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise across the region. Reports said a major oil refinery in Kuwait was hit by drones, causing fires, while Saudi Arabia claimed it intercepted several drones in recent hours.

In Iran, a drone strike reportedly targeted a Red Crescent warehouse in Bushehr province, damaging relief containers, buses, and emergency vehicles. However, no casualties were reported in that incident.

These developments suggest that multiple security incidents are taking place at the same time, increasing fears of a wider conflict.