Premium

A US Air Force F-15 Strike Eagle fighter aircraft flies alongside a fifth generation F-35A Lighting II stealth aircraft in Lakenheath, England, on April 17, 2025. (Dan Kitwood / Getty Images)

Fact Check: Did a US F-15E Just Crash in Iran?

By C. Douglas Golden March 6, 2026 at 7:15am

It’s a claim that threw doubt on the air superiority the United States and Israel have thus far been able to maintain in the Iran operation: reports of a downed F-15E Strike Eagle over enemy territory.

But was it accurate? At this juncture, it certainly doesn’t appear so.

The first alerts of the downing came from OSINTdefender, a relatively reliable account on X. It reported that “several direct sources” had told it that the plane “with the U.S. Air Force crashed early Wednesday during a strike mission over Southwestern Iran.”

Read the Rest — Subscribe Now

You've reached the end of the free preview.
Join thousands who rely on us for trusted news.

Already a subscriber? Sign in

Submit a Correction →

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:

Fact check, Iran, Military, United States

C. Douglas Golden

Contributor, Commentary

SummaryMore Biographical InformationRecent PostsContact

@CillianZeal

Facebook

C. Douglas Golden is a writer who splits his time between the United States and Southeast Asia. Specializing in political commentary and world affairs, he's written for Conservative Tribune and The Western Journal since 2014. Aside from politics, he enjoys spending time with his wife, literature (especially British comic novels and modern Japanese lit), indie rock, coffee, Formula One and football (of both American and world varieties).

Birthplace

Morristown, New Jersey

Education

Catholic University of America

Languages Spoken

English, Spanish

Topics of Expertise

American Politics, World Politics, Culture