Iran’s IRGC Claims Destruction of 3 US F-35 Jets in Jordan
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that its Aerospace Force destroyed three US F-35 fighter jets and heavily damaged three others in a ballistic missile strike on the Al-Azraq (Muwaffaq Salti) Air Base in Jordan, according to CCTV News. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has categorically denied that any American aircraft were damaged, and the competing claims could not be independently verified.
The strike, announced in Statement No. 55 of “Operation Nasr 2,” was carried out in retaliation for a US airstrike on residential homes on Iran’s Qeshm Island that killed a family of three, including a two-year-old child. As of August 2, the United States had not issued a formal statement on the F-35 claims.
The Attack and Conflicting Claims
The IRGC said it launched multiple ballistic missiles targeting the F-35 fighter jet parking ramp and maintenance hangar at Al-Azraq Air Base on the morning of July 30. According to the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), the IRGC claimed that three F-35 aircraft were completely destroyed, three others sustained heavy damage, and several US officers, technical personnel, and maintenance staff were killed.
“In response to this crime and to assist you in liberating the Islamic land of Jordan from the blight of U.S. occupiers, warriors of the IRGC Aerospace Force targeted the placement ramp and maintenance hangar of the enemy’s F-35 fighters at Al-Azraq Air Base with several ballistic missiles this morning, completely destroying three F-35 aircraft and inflicting heavy damage on three others,” the IRGC statement read.
The Mehr News Agency reported that the attack was a direct response to a US airstrike on two residential homes in the Chah-Tango neighborhood of Qeshm Island, which killed a father, mother, and their two-year-old child, while injuring two other children aged seven and nine.
CENTCOM, however, issued a point-by-point rebuttal. “No U.S. aircraft were destroyed or damaged in recent attempted Iranian attacks. All missiles and drones were intercepted or failed to reach targeted areas,” the command said, as reported by Türkiye Today. The Jordanian army separately reported that it intercepted and downed five Iranian missiles, marking the fourth consecutive day of such incidents.
The IRGC pushed back against the US denial, releasing photographic evidence that it said showed missile strikes on the maintenance hangar. “It would be better for you to stop your extensive censorship and provide the world with accurate data so that people around the globe can judge for themselves,” the IRGC said in a rebuttal reported by Mehr News Agency.
Escalation Amid Fragile Ceasefire
The attack occurred amid a fragile and repeatedly broken ceasefire in the five-month-old war between the United States and Iran. The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when the US and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes against Iran, killing several Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Wikipedia’s timeline of the 2026 Iran war.
The immediate trigger for the latest exchange came on July 30, when the US carried out a “heavy wave of strikes” on IRGC targets across Iran, hitting military command centers and missile and drone facilities in a two-hour assault, as The Guardian reported. The strikes came just days after the US had paused attacks on Iran following advice to halt bombing, and hours after US-Saudi joint strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq killed at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers.
Middle East Eye reported that the civilian casualties on Qeshm Island provided Iran with moral justification for retaliation, with footage showing rescue teams clearing rubble in the Chah-Tango neighborhood. The publication also noted that the US military has a track record of claiming to intercept Iranian missiles that were later found to have reached their targets.
President Donald Trump, responding to the escalating situation, said: “It’s a little more of the same… In the meantime, we’re going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn to hit them.”
Strategic Significance of Al-Azraq Base
Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan, also known as Muwaffaq Salti, is a key US military installation hosting F-35 fighter jets. This is the second time the IRGC has claimed to strike F-35 hangars at the base, following a June 10 attack that hit F-35 hangars and a command and control center.
The base’s strategic importance lies in its role as a forward operating location for US air power in the region. If Iran’s claims are accurate, the destruction of three F-35s—among the most advanced and expensive fighter jets in the US arsenal—would represent a significant blow to US military capabilities and prestige. Each F-35 costs approximately $80-100 million, making the claimed destruction worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Information War and Verification Challenges
The competing claims highlight the information war running alongside the military conflict. Neither side’s assertions have been independently verified, and the lack of independent reporting from the region makes objective assessment difficult.
The IRGC released photographic evidence to support its claims, while CENTCOM issued a comprehensive rebuttal that also addressed other Iranian claims about the naval blockade and the Strait of Hormuz. The US command posted an audio recording of what it claims to be an IRGC operative warning a commercial vessel to turn back or face destruction.
Broader Implications
The escalation threatens to derail diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. The war has already cost the US an estimated $113.3 billion as of June 2026, caused the largest ever supply disruption of the global oil market, and resulted in thousands of casualties on both sides. Iran reports 3,528 killed and 27,170 injured, while the US reports 19 soldiers and 1 contractor killed with 624 wounded.
The attack also signals Iran’s willingness to strike US assets in allied countries, raising concerns about the potential widening of the conflict. The IRGC has warned that “countries involved in aiding the aggressor will receive a harsh response if they do not correct their behaviour.”
What to Watch For
As the competing narratives continue to unfold, several key questions remain unanswered. Will the US provide photographic or satellite evidence to support its denial? Will independent verification emerge from the region? And critically, will this escalation derail the fragile ceasefire negotiations that mediators have been working to preserve?
Analysts suggest the coming days will be crucial in determining whether this exchange represents another cycle in the tit-for-tat escalation or a genuine turning point that pushes the conflict toward broader regional war. The international community will be watching closely for any signs of de-escalation or further provocation from either side.