Iran downs Israeli F-35 as strikes kill more nuclear scientists

Shafaq News/ Iran’s military announced Saturday that its air defense forces successfully shot down an Israeli F-35 fighter jet over western Iran.

In a statement released by the Army’s public relations office, Iranian officials confirmed the aircraft was intercepted and destroyed in Iranian airspace. “The pilot activated the ejection system,” the statement read, “but his fate remains unknown, and an investigation is underway.”

The development comes as Israeli airstrikes continued to target sensitive military and nuclear sites across several Iranian provinces.

Iranian media also confirmed the deaths of three more nuclear scientists in the latest Israeli strikes. The victims were identified as Ali Bakaei Karimi, Mansour Askari, and Saeed Borji, all reportedly involved in advanced nuclear energy research.

The Israeli military has not confirmed the F-35 downing but stated that a total of nine Iranian nuclear scientists have been killed so far in its air campaign. This marks the deadliest targeted operation against Iran’s nuclear personnel in over a decade.

As a precautionary measure, Israeli media reported that all civilian aircraft operated by Israeli airlines have been relocated to Cyprus, Greece, and the United States.