Another false Iranian claim: Navy F-18 shot down near Strait of Hormuz

Iran claimed Wednesday that it shot down a Navy F-18 jet near the vital Strait of Hormuz, prompting a quick denial from Central Command.

In a “fact check” post on X, Centcom said the claim was false, adding that “no U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran.”

Video provided by Iran and shared by Centcom showed an F-18 maneuvering over Chabahar on the southeast coast and a bright object appearing nearby. But the video did not show a stricken plane or subsequent crash.

Iran said the U.S. jet was targeted “using new advanced air defense systems.”

The F-18 in the video was likely from the San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which is in the north Arabian Sea.

Aboard the nuclear-powered carrier are three squadrons of Navy F-18s from Naval Air Station Lemoore near Fresno and one squadron of Marine Corps F-35C stealth fighters from Miramar.

🚫FALSE: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a U.S. F/A-18 fighter was struck over Chabahar using new advanced air defense systems.

✅TRUE: No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran. pic.twitter.com/I25QFjYo0l

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 25, 2026

Early in Operation Epic Fury, Iran claimed to have hit the Lincoln with missiles, a claim that was also quickly refuted.

Iran’s coastal defenses are increasingly being targeted in an effort to open the Strait of Hormuz for international oil tankers.