CAIRO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran said one of its air defense systems struck a U.S. F-35 fighter jet over central Iran early Thursday, leaving the aircraft heavily damaged, according to a statement carried by Iranian media.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the incident occurred at about 2:50 a.m. (2320 GMT Wednesday), adding that the jet's fate remained unclear and was under investigation, with a crash considered possible.
CNN, citing U.S. military sources, reported that a U.S. F-35 made an emergency landing at a U.S. air base in the Middle East after being hit by Iranian fire. ■
