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France 24
4 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
No definite proof for Iran's claims it shot down Israeli F-35 fighter jets
Since Israel's offensive against Iran began in the early hours of June 13, Israel has been circulating photos of its fighter jets flying towards Iran to destroy its nuclear sites and arsenal of ballistic missiles. The evening the offensive began, the Tehran Times, a media outlet with close links to the Iranian regime, announced that "an Israeli pilot' had been 'captured' and that Israel had said that two of its fighter planes had been shot down. The Iranian press agency Tasnim News, which has close links to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, reported the same story, this time claiming that the pilot who had been captured was a woman. 'Iran downs fourth Israeli F-35' Press TV, a television outlet controlled by the Iranian regime, reported that Iran had become the "first country to shoot down fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets'. This US-built fighter jet is considered one of the most effective in the world and is especially known for its stealth. Israel was quick to deny these claims through their Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee, who denounced "fake Iranian media outlets that spread baseless lies'. In the days that followed, Iranian media outlets continued to share what they said was a count of how many F-35 fighter jets the Iranian army had shot down. Press TV published an article on June 15 claiming that a third F-35 had been destroyed, explaining how the Iranian air defence system had managed to hit one of these planes. A day later, a headline in the Tehran Times read 'Iran downs 4th Israeli F-35'. "According to Tasnim news agency, the aircraft was identified by Iranian air defence systems stationed in the area and was successfully targeted with a precision-guided missile,' the article reads. These allegations aim to refute Israel's announcement of "full aerial superiority" in the early days of the attack. That declaration came after the Israeli army largely destroyed Iran's air defences, a stated objective of their military operation. 'There is no proof that Iran downed Israeli F-35s' However, for the time being, there is no proof confirming these claims. While anonymous sources apparently told the Tehran Times that Iran picked up debris from the F-35, the Iranian army hasn't shared any authenticated images, photos, or videos. No information was released about the identity of the pilot allegedly captured, though Iran claimed to have captured two. The FRANCE 24 Observers team spoke with Janes Intelligence, a military analysis company that works with open-source data, which said that 'there is no evidence that Iran has shot down any Israeli F-35s'. Pierre Razoux, the academic director at the Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies (FMES) and author of a study looking at 'the challenges of air superiority over the Middle East', is also sceptical about Iran's claims. He says that these losses are 'extremely unlikely, especially without photos. If it were true, Iran would be hurrying to unveil the photos'. Iran's air defence system: 'not the most modern' Several military experts interviewed agree with this assessment and say that it is unlikely that Iran's anti-aircraft defence systems could have reached the Israeli F-35s. "It's really hard to destroy an F-35 because it is made not to be detected,' says Jean-Christophe Noël, a former fighter pilot and a researcher with the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), highlighting that the F-35 is built for 'stealth'. "That doesn't mean that it is unstoppable,' he added. 'But it turns out that it is stealthy enough that Iran's surface-to-air missile batteries failed, batteries which are not the most modern.' Another expert agrees with this analysis. "To down a stealth aircraft, first you have to detect it in certain bands of frequency, then transmit its position to other radar to guide a missile: that requires a complex coordination that the Iranian army has not mastered, all the more so because Israel weakened its air defence system,' says Etienne Marcuz with the Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (Foundation for Strategic Research), who was interviewed by the fact-checking team of French daily Libération's CheckNews. While Israel has almost complete control of the Iranian airspace, the F-35s are protected against eventual attacks by the Iranian air fleet, which is also outdated compared to the Israeli army, according to these two experts. Against this information war backdrop, a number of fake images that apparently show downed F-35 planes have been circulating online. Accounts known to criticise Israel started to share images of debris they said came from an F-35 downed in the Iranian desert, starting on June 13. We ran these images through a reverse image search (see our handy guide to find out how you can do it, too) and discovered that the photos did indeed show a F-35 crash, but it took place in May 2024 in New Mexico in the United States, as shown by articles from the time. Accounts also circulated images taken from video games, claiming that they showed a downed F-35. A post in Arabic that garnered more than 6 million views on X used a clip from a video game uploaded to YouTube in May 2025. You can see the scene 34 seconds into the video when a fighter plane gets shot by anti-aircraft defence. Another photo that allegedly showed a downed F-35 was broadcast on Iranian television on June 14 and picked up by a number of pro-Iran accounts that shared it widely across social media, especially Facebook. However, this photo, which was likely generated by artificial intelligence, actually shows a fighter jet that doesn't have some of the characteristics of an Israeli F-35. The fins at the back of the plane, for example, seem to be facing the opposite direction to the F-35. Moreover, the symbol of the Israeli army – the Star of David – appears at the back of the jet in this image, though it is on the front of the Israeli F-35s. Moreover, the ground doesn't seem to be damaged at all, even though the plane is still on fire. Another image said to show an Israeli fighter jet crashed in the desert was also widely circulated and was even shared by a number of Arabic-language media outlets like Gaza Now, whose post was viewed more than two million times. However, a number of social media users mocked this image, which was likely generated by AI, because certain details such as the jet's engine don't match the real F-35, but the real issue is the size of the downed jet as compared to the people around it. It looks huge in the image, whereas in reality, an F-35 is only about 15 metres long and six metres wide.
LBCI
7 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Iranian media says nuclear sites 'attacked by enemy strikes'
Iranian media said on Sunday that part of the Fordow uranium enrichment facility, as well as the Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites, were attacked after Donald Trump said the U.S. had bombed them. "A few hours ago, after Qom's air defenses were activated and hostile targets were identified, part of the Fordow nuclear site was attacked by enemy airstrikes," Tasnim news agency reported, quoting Morteza Heydari, spokesperson for the Qom Provincial crisis management department. Separately, the Fars news agency said: "The air defenses of Isfahan and Kashan began to work to counter hostile targets, and several explosions were heard simultaneously." AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Internet Slowly Trickles Back in Iran
Iranians on Saturday began to see some internet access restored, giving people the opportunity to call friends and family for the first time in days. Those in the diaspora posted on social media about connecting to FaceTime or WhatsApp to call relatives they had been worried about. Government officials had disconnected phone and web services earlier in the week for the more than 90 million people who live in Iran, citing cybersecurity threats from Israel. That left civilians unaware of when and where Israel would strike next, despite Israeli forces issuing warnings through their Persian-language online channels. When the missiles landed, lack of internet connection meant not knowing for hours or days if their family or friends are among the victims. Tasnim News Agency, which is closely affiliated with Iran's government, quoted the information minister as saying that access to 'international' internet should be restored across the country by 8 p.m.
Newsweek
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Road Out of Tehran Closed Over 'Heavy Traffic'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A major route out of Tehran was closed overnight Tuesday as vehicles jammed roads following warnings by Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump to vacate the capital. As Israel continued to bombard Iran, the Islamic Republic's traffic police said that the Chalus highway had been closed overnight because of heavy traffic before being reopened Wednesday morning. Why It Matters Residents in the capital have been fleeing the city since Israel's airstrikes started last week, targeting Iran's military and intelligence leadership it said was developing a nuclear bomb, although Iran denies it has such a capability. Traffic jams are in addition to major disruptions to banking and internet services in the country, adding to a climate of panic among Iranians. Vehicles jam a highway as a fire blazes nearby in the oil depots of Shahran, northwest of Tehran, Iran, on June 15, 2025. Vehicles jam a highway as a fire blazes nearby in the oil depots of Shahran, northwest of Tehran, Iran, on June 15, To Know The Chalus highway is a major route that links Tehran with the Caspian Sea region. It was restricted to one-way outbound traffic overnight Tuesday, Colonel Ahmad Karami Asad, head of the FarajahTraffic Police, said, according to Tasnim News, a state media agency. Highway 49, which feeds into the Chalus highway, had also been especially congested, and Asad urged drivers to follow traffic regulations and cooperate with police. Social media videos and eyewitness accounts this week have shown bumper-to-bumper traffic on main roads out of Tehran as people attempted to leave the city. Images verified by Agence France Press (AFP) showed traffic stuck on a major northbound highway from Tehran amid a scramble to reach parts of the country less affected by Israel's attacks. The exodus came shortly after former Trump posted on Truth Social for people to evacuate Tehran amid Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear and military facilities. On Monday, Israel also issued specific evacuation warnings to residents in the north of the capital, including District 3, which is home to embassies and government buildings. Authorities have opened metro stations and schools as makeshift shelters from the bombardment and many shops remained closed and fuel rationing began, with long lines at gas stations. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump, on Truth Social: "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran." Colonel Ahmad Karami Asad, head of the Farajah Traffic Police, per Tasnim News: "We ask our dear drivers to comply with traffic regulations and cooperate with traffic police officers to maintain safety and smooth traffic on this mountainous route." What Happens Next With the Chalus highway and other major routes reopened, Iranian authorities continue to monitor traffic and public safety amid growing concern among those who are left without cash, connectivity or a clear way out.
Indian Express
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Khamenei warns of ‘irreparable consequences' if US joins Israel strikes, says Iran won't surrender
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Wednesday issued a warning to the United States and Israel amid escalating regional conflict, declaring that Iran would not yield to threats or accept any imposed resolution. Khamenei said 'Israel made a huge mistake and will be punished for that,' according to an official statement read by a state TV anchor in a televised address. 'People will not forget the blood of martyrs and the attack on their territory,' he said, referencing the ongoing Israeli strikes on Iranian territory. 'Iran will not accept an imposed peace or war.' Addressing statements by President Donald Trump, who a day earlier said the US was aware of the Supreme Leader's location but won't kill him, 'at least for now,' Khamenei said: 'They should know that Iran will not surrender and any US strike will have serious, irreparable consequences,' Tasnim News quoted him as saying. Referring to Trump's demand of 'unconditional surrender', Khamenei said: 'Those who know Iran's history know that Iranians do not answer well to the language of threat.' Earlier in the day, Khamenei, in a post on X, said, 'In the name of God, the battle begins.' In another post, he said Iran 'must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy.' We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy. — (@khamenei_ir) June 17, 2025 Khamenei's warning came after Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that hypersonic Fattah-1 missiles were used in its latest attack on Israel as part of 'Operation Honest Promise 3.' The IRGC also launched a 'swarm of drones' towards Israel, claiming to have 'gained complete control over the skies of the occupied territories.' Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes struck targets in Tehran before dawn on Wednesday. The Israeli military had warned civilians in District 18 to evacuate ahead of the strike. Iranian state media reported multiple explosions across the capital, including in the Piroozi, Sabalan, and Sayyad areas. (With inputs from Reuters)
