A US F-35 stealth fighter has been damaged during a combat mission over Iran, forcing an emergency landing at a US air base in the Middle East, according to American officials. The pilot survived and is in stable condition, but the incident is now under investigation.The development comes as Iran claimed it had successfully struck the aircraft using its air defence systems, potentially marking the first time Tehran has hit one of the United States’ most advanced jets during the ongoing conflict. The claim has not been fully confirmed by Washington, but US officials have acknowledged the aircraft was hit by what is believed to be Iranian fire.

Capt Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said the fifth-generation jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to land. “The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” he said, adding that the matter is being investigated.

Why this is a big deal: the F-35 factor

The F-35 Lightning II is not just another fighter jet it is widely regarded as the backbone of US and allied air power and one of the most advanced combat aircraft ever built.Costing upwards of $100 million per unit and operated or ordered by more than 19 countries, the F-35 is the world’s most widely deployed fifth-generation fighter. It combines stealth, advanced sensors and networked warfare capabilities in a way that fundamentally reshapes how air combat is fought.At its core is stealth. The aircraft is designed to evade radar detection through its shape, materials and internal weapons bays, allowing it to operate deep inside heavily defended airspace. In theory, this makes it extremely difficult for enemy air defences to track or target.

Equally important is sensor fusion. The F-35 does not simply gather data it processes and merges inputs from radar, infrared sensors, satellites and other aircraft into a single real-time battlefield picture. This allows pilots to detect threats earlier and engage targets before being seen.The jet is also built for network-centric warfare. It operates as part of a wider digital combat system, sharing data with other aircraft, ships and ground systems. In such a setup, the F-35 is not just a fighter but a node in a larger warfighting network.This combination — stealth, sensor fusion and networking is what defines a fifth-generation fighter. Only a handful of nations possess such aircraft at scale, with the US leading through the F-35 programme.

That is why even a partial hit is significant. If Iranian air defences were able to track and strike an F-35, it could suggest improvements in detection systems or exploitation of gaps in US operations. It also challenges the perception that stealth aircraft can operate with near impunity.At least 16 US aircraft have been lost since the war began, including multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones shot down by Iranian defences, as per a report by Bloomberg. These drones are designed to be expendable and are frequently used in high-risk missions.Other losses have stemmed from accidents and friendly fire. Three F-15 fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences, with all crew members ejecting safely. In another incident, a KC-135 refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, killing all six personnel on board. The US military said the crash was not caused by hostile action.Despite these setbacks, US officials maintain that operations are proceeding as planned. However, analysts point out that the US has only achieved “localised air superiority” in parts of Iranian airspace, rather than full dominance.Iran, meanwhile, continues to launch regional strikes, including attacks on energy infrastructure, while claiming to have downed large numbers of US and Israeli drones. It says the F-35 strike reflects upgrades to its integrated air defence network.

How Iran’s infrared systems may have struck the ‘ghost of the skies’

Iran’s claim that it struck a US F-35 Lightning II has drawn sharp global attention, with early indications suggesting that infrared-guided air defence systems may have played a role in the incident now under investigation.A US F-35 stealth fighter was damaged during a combat mission over Iran and forced to make an emergency landing at a US air base in the Middle East, according to American officials. The pilot survived and is in stable condition. While Washington has not fully confirmed Tehran’s claim, it has acknowledged the aircraft was hit by what is believed to be Iranian fire.Iran has described the incident as a “world’s first hit”, raising questions about how one of the most advanced stealth aircraft may have been tracked and targeted.

Infrared systems in focus

Analysts are increasingly looking at Iran’s infrared-guided surface-to-air systems, which rely on heat signatures rather than radar, as a possible factor.Among the key systems:

Unlike traditional radar-guided systems, these platforms operate passively, meaning they do not broadcast signals that stealth aircraft are designed to evade. This raises the possibility that infrared detection may have complemented or substituted radar tracking in the engagement.

The F-35 is built to minimise both radar and infrared signatures, but it is not completely invisible. Its engine still produces heat, particularly during high-speed or combat manoeuvres.Infrared-guided systems, in theory, can exploit this by:

However, such a hit would still be considered highly challenging. The F-35 is equipped with advanced countermeasures, including flares and electronic warfare systems, and is designed to detect threats early through its sensor fusion capabilities.

What makes this incident significant

Capt Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for US Central Command, said the fifth-generation jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to land. “The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” he said.Even a partial strike carries weight. The F-35 is widely seen as one of the most survivable aircraft in contested airspace due to its stealth, sensor fusion and network-centric warfare design.If Iranian systems were able to track and hit the jet, it could point to:

The bigger picture

The reported hit comes amid an ongoing conflict in which the US has lost at least 16 aircraft, including multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones, according to a Bloomberg report. Other losses have been attributed to accidents and friendly fire.While US officials maintain that operations are proceeding as planned, analysts note that only “localised air superiority” has been achieved in parts of Iranian airspace.Against this backdrop, Iran’s claim of striking an F-35 — whether through infrared systems alone or in combination with other tracking methods — could mark a shift in how stealth aircraft are challenged in modern warfare.

Mumbai: An eight-year-old boy died after falling into a pit filled with water at an unbarricaded construction site in Malad East on Thursday night. He had gone to the site across the road from his home to retrieve a ball he was playing with after dinner. The body was discovered by his father, who had been desperately looking for him, around seven hours later. Locals said the pit was around 15ft deep.Kurar police lodged an FIR against the site engineer and the contractor for negligence under provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The site is being developed by Mauli Construction. The child, Divyansh Rajesh Mourya, a Class 3 student of a civic-run school, lived with his parents and younger sister in a slum in Malad’s Ambewadi. He stepped out after dinner around 8pm to play nearby, said his uncle, Ram Ishwar Mourya. “When he failed to return, everyone started panicking and went out looking for him. No one could trace him. However, his father didn’t give up and kept looking for him. Around 3am, his father decided to check the construction site and saw the open pit, in which the boy was floating.” A neighbour, Aaditya Nishad, said Divyansh was rushed to a private hospital in the vicinity, where doctors declared him dead. His desperate family then took him to civic-run Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivli. The neighbour said when locals gathered at the construction site, they found that the pit was around 15ft deep. “The boy would have surely drowned after falling into such a deep pit. There were CCTV cameras at the construction site and police have already collected the footage. The footage will clearly establish that it was due to the lack of safety measures at the site that the boy fell into the pit and died.” A police officer said CCTV cameras installed at the site captured Divyansh entering the compound, adding that appropriate action will be taken against those responsible. “The pit is filled with drainage water flowing in from an SRA project upstream.” When TOI visited the spot, the child’s final rites were yet to be carried out as his body had been sent for a postmortem examination. Locals called for stringent action against the developer for not taking adequate safety measures at the site by barricading it. Former Malad corporator Vinod Mishra from BJP demanded that civic authorities who have to keep tabs on whether developers are taking adequate precautions at their sites must also be held accountable. Divyansh’s father runs a grocery shop opposite Kurar Metro station and his mother is a homemaker. (With inputs by Nitasha Natu)

HYDERABAD: Never did Hyderabad-based eye specialist Dr Umesh Bhammarkar, an avid international traveller who has visited 22 countries, imagine that his 23rd destination – Kuwait – would turn into his most harrowing experience.Dr Bhammarkar landed in Kuwait City on Feb 28 and was scheduled to return on March 1. However, barely an hour after he exited the airport, attacks began across the city, triggering chaos and uncertainty. What was meant to be a short trip quickly turned into a prolonged and distressing ordeal.Stranded amid the unrest, he attempted to return by booking two flights, both of which showed as operational. But on reaching the airport, he found it shut. With no immediate way out, he remained stuck, until he got a tourist bus taking tourists to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Eventually, along with a few other passengers, he undertook a 1,460-km road journey from Kuwait to Jeddah. The 26-hour bus journey across the desert was physically exhausting and emotionally tense. He described crossing the no man’s land between the two countries as one of the most frightening moments of the trip. From Jeddah, he finally managed to board a flight to Mumbai, reaching home on March 7, 2026.Recalling the experience, Dr Bhammarkar said, “When I arrived in Kuwait City, I was unaware of the situation. I was out in the city until evening, when my wife called to check on me. I then returned to my hotel and prepared to leave the next day.”With the help of friends, he later moved to a safer location before eventually boarding the tourist bus to Jeddah, bringing an end to a journey he said he would never forget.