Iran claims it shot down ‘F-18’ fighter jet over Chabahar; US fact-check tells a different story

The United States Central Command on Wednesday fact-checked the reports claiming that Iran had shot down an American F-16 fighter jet over Chabahar amid the intense ongoing military action in the Middle East, involving Iran and the US-Israel military partnership.Dismissing the Iranian claims as “false,” the US military command responsible for the Middle East, Central Command, responded on social media platform X.Reinforcing its stance, US CENTCOM once again refuted all claims of American fighter jets being downed by Iranian forces, stating on X: “No US fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran.”Earlier, Iran’s state-affiliated outlet Press TV shared footage on X purportedly showing a crash over the coastal city of Chabahar.In the clip, a jet, which Iran claims is a US F-18, is seen being “successfully” shot down. “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announces that it has successfully targeted an American F-18 fighter jet,” the outlet said while posting the video.The development comes hours after Iran rejected a US proposal for a ceasefire, warning that strikes will continue until its demands are met. Tehran dismissed a reported 15-point US plan, saying any truce would take place only on its “own terms and timeline,” a senior official told Press TV. “Iran will end the war when it decides to, not when Trump envisions its conclusion,” the official added.Iran’s stated conditions include a halt to attacks, guarantees against future conflict, compensation for war damage, an end to hostilities across all fronts, and recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.