A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet narrowly escaped an Iranian man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) missile while conducting a strafing run near the port of Chabahar in southeastern Iran.
Footage circulating Thursday, believed to have been captured a day earlier, shows the fighter jet conducting a strafing run with its 20 mm M61 cannon. Moments later, a missile is seen detonating behind the aircraft. The Super Hornet appears to continue flying after the explosion with no visible signs of damage.
CLOSE CALL 🔴
An Iranian MANPADS nearly hit a U.S. Navy F/A‑18E/F over Iran yesterday; no damage reported. pic.twitter.com/DRtFBjLUse
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 26, 2026
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the aircraft was shot down and crashed into the Indian Ocean.
“The enemy F-18 fighter jet was accurately hit in the sky of Chabahar by missiles from the IRGC Navy’s advanced modern air defense system, under the command of the country’s integrated air defense network, and crashed in the Indian Ocean,” the IRGC said in a statement published by Iran’s Fars News Agency.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announces that it has successfully targeted an American F-18 fighter jet.
Follow Press TV on Telegram: https://t.co/LWoNSpkc2J pic.twitter.com/E9nRJgnla3
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) March 25, 2026
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) denied the claim, stating on social media that “no U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran.”
🚫FALSE: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a U.S. F/A-18 fighter was struck over Chabahar using new advanced air defense systems.
✅TRUE: No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran. pic.twitter.com/I25QFjYo0l
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 25, 2026
The incident occurred amid the ongoing conflict between the U.S., its allies, and Iran, now in its fourth week, and highlights the continued risks posed by MANPADS to low-flying aircraft. These systems are difficult to detect and can be concealed more easily than larger, fixed or vehicle-mounted air defense platforms.
MANPADS have also been linked to another reported incident involving a U.S. F-35 that made an emergency landing after a combat mission over Iran.
Reports say the aircraft may have been hit by Iranian fire, with the pilot sustaining shrapnel wounds. The extent of the damage remains unclear, and CENTCOM has declined to comment.
