US denies F-15 shot down over Kuwait, blames Iran 'disinformation campaign'

2026-03-23 - 20:59

The United States dismissed as false Monday reports that an American F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Kuwait, accusing Iran of orchestrating a "disinformation campaign." The denial came after Tehran claimed its air defenses had intercepted and downed a US warplane near Hormuz Island. CENTCOM clarifies "Rumors are again circulating about a U.S. F-15 being shot down over Kuwait. They are NOT TRUE," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X. "The disinformation campaign from the Iranian regime is rampant. Lies about U.S. aircraft being shot down by Iran have been circulated multiple times on different platforms using fake or misleading imagery. To be clear: No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran," the statement added. Iran's claim Iran claimed Sunday that its air defense systems downed an F-15 fighter jet near Hormuz Island in the country's south. The semi-official ISNA news agency, citing a statement from Iran's Joint Air Defense Command, said the warplane was intercepted over the southern coast and near Hormuz Island after firing a missile. No evidence was provided to support the claim. Propaganda war intensifies The conflicting accounts highlight the propaganda dimension of the ongoing conflict, now in its fourth week. With the US and Israel continuing their joint offensive against Iran, which has killed more than 1,300 people, both sides are engaged in information warfare alongside military operations, seeking to shape public perception of battlefield outcomes.