Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed it opened fire on an American F-35 fighter jet and shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone, in a sharp escalation of tensions during sensitive ceasefire negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The Islamic Republic said on Tuesday that its forces had detected hostile aircraft entering Iranian airspace following overnight American strikes in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the IRGC said it had downed an MQ-9 Reaper drone and “fired upon an intruding F-35 fighter jet” as well as an RQ-4 surveillance drone allegedly operating near Iranian territory.
The Guards insisted the actions were defensive and framed them as a legitimate response to what they described as violations of an already fragile ceasefire arrangement with the United States.
The claims came after the US military confirmed it had conducted overnight strikes on targets in southern Iran, saying the operation was intended to protect American personnel and shipping routes in the Gulf.
“US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, said on Monday evening.
He added that the strikes targeted missile launch sites and Iranian vessels allegedly attempting to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most strategically important shipping corridors.
The latest confrontation threatens to destabilise ongoing peace talks taking place in Qatar, where diplomats have been attempting to preserve a tenuous truce following months of escalating regional hostilities.
Iranian officials accused Washington of undermining negotiations through military action while simultaneously engaging in diplomacy.
The MQ-9 Reaper drone is among the most advanced unmanned systems in the US arsenal and carries a production cost estimated at between $30 million and $35 million per aircraft.
Iranian media claimed Tehran has destroyed roughly 30 Reaper drones since the conflict began, though independent verification of those figures has not been possible.
Military analysts cautioned that direct claims involving an F-35 stealth fighter would represent a significant escalation if confirmed. The aircraft is regarded as one of the most sophisticated combat jets in service and plays a central role in US air operations across the Middle East.
Neither the Pentagon nor the White House immediately confirmed Iran’s account of the alleged engagement involving the F-35.
The confrontation nonetheless underlines the growing volatility surrounding the Gulf region, where even limited exchanges risk spiralling into a wider military crisis capable of threatening global energy supplies and destabilising broader diplomatic efforts.
Despite continued negotiations, both sides appear increasingly willing to test the limits of deterrence, raising fears that the current ceasefire may struggle to hold.
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