Thai PBS Verify found the fabricated footage on: Facebook
Thai PBS Verify identified a post from a Facebook account named ‘Open the Third Eye (Meditation) [เปิดตาทิพย์ third eye (ญาณสมาธิ)].’ It shared a video on March 15, 2026. The footage, depicting a fighter jet being struck and damaged by a missile, was accompanied by a caption identifying the aircraft as a F-35. The post included the following details:
Confirmed report: Today, March 19, 2026, Iranian air defense systems targeted a U.S. F-35 fighter jet during a combat mission over central Iran. Although the aircraft sustained damage, it managed to perform an emergency landing at a U.S. or allied base in the Middle East. The pilot is reported safe and in stable condition. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed the incident, marking the first time Iran has struck a U.S. aircraft in this conflict. The accompanying video matches the footage of the reported strike.
The page has over 5,000 followers, suggesting an ability to reach a wider audience. Thai PBS Verify found that the footage has spread to various social media channels and was picked up by a news agency, which reported the incident as a real-life engagement between Iran and the U.S. F-35.
The caption asserted that Iran successfully struck an F-35, leading to an emergency landing within the region. This claim was later challenged by several Facebook users who cautioned that the video might be fake, suggesting it was likely generated from a combat simulation game.
A screenshot of a news report purportedly showing an Iranian missile strike on an F-35 fighter jet.
The F-35 in this video was not really shot down
To determine the authenticity of the footage, Thai PBS Verify performed a keyframe analysis by using Invid-WeVerify. A subsequent reverse image search via Google Lens revealed that the video was actually sourced from military simulation games, such as ARMA 3, ARMA Reforger and DCS World, which are known for their highly realistic combat environments.
A comparison between the viral footage claiming to show an Iranian strike on a U.S. F-35 (top) and actual gameplay from a combat simulator published on the @MilsimF YouTube channel (bottom).
The footage was originally published on February 8, 2025, by a YouTube channel named @MilsimF. The video was uploaded under the following title: Su-57 vs Ukrainian SAM Missiles | Digital MilSim #military #simulation
The original video description reads:
This Video Was Created Using a Digital Simulator.
Simulations May Differ from Reality.
Built using ARMA 3, ARMA Reforger, DCS World
A screenshot of the YouTube channel @MilsimF confirms that the published footage is captured from a combat simulation game.
Was there any F-35 shot down in real life?
A keyword search revealed reports from international news outlets, including CNN on March 20, 2026. According to these reports, the U.S. military confirmed an F-35 made an emergency landing for undisclosed reasons, while Iran claimed it had successfully targeted the aircraft.
U.S. military officials confirmed that during the late hours of March 19, 2026 (Thailand time), a U.S. F-35A/B Lightning II was forced to make an emergency landing at a Middle Eastern airbase after completing a combat mission in Iranian airspace.
The following is the CNN original report:
Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said the fifth-generation stealth jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to make an emergency landing. Hawkins said the aircraft landed safely and the incident is under investigation.
“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins added. “This incident is under investigation.”
CNN reported on March 20, 2026, that an F-35 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing for undisclosed reasons.
What does the actual footage show?
Regarding the authentic footage, Thai PBS Verify found that The Independent reported on a statement from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which included a video purportedly showing an anti-aircraft missile strike on a U.S. F-35A/B Lightning II over Iran. Should this be confirmed, it would represent the first instance of Iran striking a U.S. aircraft in the current Iran war.
What is the current status of U.S. military aircrafts in the Middle East?
Regarding the U.S. aerial presence in the Middle East, since the onset of hostilities on February 28, 2026, the U.S. has reportedly lost over a dozen MQ-9 Reaper drones in combat during its counter-Iran operations.
There have also been reports of six fatalities involving KC-135 refueling aircraft personnel, who were killed in an Iranian missile attack targeting a base in Saudi Arabia.
Despite the F-35 stealth fighters’ active role in combat since 2018, their record remains intact, with no verified instances of any aircraft being downed by hostile fire.
On March 1, 2026, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles were lost due to a friendly fire engagement with Kuwaiti F/A-18 aircraft. All six personnel onboard performed successful emergency ejections and have since been rescued.
What is the truth?
Regarding the video claiming to capture the moment an Iranian missile struck and damaged a U.S. F-35 on March 19, 2026, Thai PBS Verify has confirmed that the footage is’not a real-life event. Our investigation reveals that the video was entirely generated using graphics from a combat simulation game.
While the video was fabricated, the underlying military context remains tense. CENTCOM has verified that a U.S. F-35 performed an emergency landing in the region after operating over Iran, noting that the pilot was unharmed. This stands in contrast to claims from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which maintains that the aircraft was targeted and struck by their anti-aircraft missiles over Iranian territory.
