ISTANBUL: Iran has claimed that its air defence systems downed an F-15 fighter jet near Hormuz Island, the Turkish news agency Anadolu reported, quoting Iran’s semi-official news agency.
Citing a statement from Iran’s Joint Air Defence Command, it said the warplane was intercepted over the country’s southern coast and near Hormuz Island.
The statement said the aircraft had fired a missile before being targeted by Iranian air defence systems.
There was no immediate confirmation from other sources, and no details were provided on the aircraft, fate of the pilot or the wreckage.
The F-15 is a US-made twin-engine, all-weather fighter aircraft in service with the US, Israeli and Saudi air forces.
Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb 28.