FACT CHECK: Is This a Real Photo of an Israeli F35 Fighter Jet Shot Down by Iran Amid the Ongoing Conflict?
Israel carried out a surprise strike last week on multiple targets across Iran, triggering a wave of missile retaliations from Iran into Israeli territory. Iran claimed that it had shot down three Israeli F-35 fighter jets, and an alleged image of one soon went viral online. Several posts on X showed a large fighter jet with its left wing severed, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.
Since then, several social media users have been left puzzled about the authenticity of the claim and also the viral photograph. Although the claim has continued to remain viral over the past few days, the truth is that the photo is fake and misleading.
Bizarre Claim
There is no evidence that the viral image is a genuine photo of an Israeli F-35 fighter jet shot down by Iran. Several aspects of the image don't match the real proportions of that type of aircraft, suggesting it was likely created using AI or digitally manipulated.
Official Iranian military Telegram accounts claimed that their forces had successfully downed three Israeli jets and captured one pilot.
According to PressTV, Iran's state-run news outlet, this would be " the first time a fifth-generation stealth aircraft has been successfully downed."
The report went on to specify the exact models of the jets involved: "The F-35 fighters represent the most advanced aircraft in the Israeli Air Force, outclassing older, non-stealth F-15 and F-16 jets by a full generation. These jets were acquired from the United States, with the F-35 Lightning II manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
"Israel's customized variant, the F-35I, is engineered for radar evasion, enabling deep penetration missions with a reduced risk of detection or interception."
AI-Generated Image
Although Israel hasn't said anything about the exact model of aircraft used in the attack, it has denied Iran's claims. In fact, Israeli officials rejected Iran's claims of downing any of their fighter jets, pointing to a post on X by spokesperson Nadav Shoshani, who wrote, "Iran didn't shoot down any Israeli fighter jets. They are trying to create a fake victory narrative and it's not going very well."
The photo circulating on social media raises several red flags. First, a reverse image search on Google turned up no credible news sources confirming the image as authentic.
Second, the F-35 shown in the X post appears too large compared to the people standing around it. According to the U.S. Air Force, an F-35 stands 14 feet tall, has a wingspan of 35 feet, and measures 51 feet in length.
The Israeli Air Force, which began receiving F-35s from the U.S. in 2016, refers to them by the nickname "Adir."
Photos on Lockheed Martin's official website show a technician climbing onto the cockpit of an F-35, clearly demonstrating the aircraft's true scale.
Also, video footage from Lockheed Martin shows a pilot standing in front of the jet at the 1:56 mark, and the wingspan in the video is noticeably smaller than the exaggerated proportions seen in the image shared on X.
Hence the claim is completely false.
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