Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has claimed to have targeted an Israeli F-16 fighter jet over the centre of the country, marking another escalation in the ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States.

The announcement came on Saturday via the IRGC's Sepah News website, stating that the strike occurred at 3:45 am local time against a "hostile enemy fighter jet belonging to the Zionist regime."

This follows closely on the heels of a similar claim earlier in the week, when the Guards asserted that a US F-35 had been hit and seriously damaged in central Iranian airspace.

The latest reports surfaced days after Israel and the United States initiated strikes on Iran on 28 February, igniting a broader conflict that has engulfed swathes of the Middle East.

Iranian media released an image purporting to show smoke trailing in the sky, claiming it depicted another aircraft under fire, though no specifics were given on its type or affiliation—whether Israeli or American.

AFP could not independently verify the image or the cause of the smoke plume.

In response, the Israeli military acknowledged that a surface-to-air missile had been launched at one of its aircraft during "an operational activity" inside Iran.

Crucially, Israel stated that no damage was sustained by the jet, without disclosing its model.

It remains unclear whether the Iranian claim and the Israeli statement refer to the identical incident, highlighting the fog of war in information warfare between the adversaries.

This episode echoes the prior US F-35 incident, where CNN reported on Thursday—citing two sources—that the stealth fighter made an emergency landing at a US air base in the Middle East after sustaining suspected Iranian fire.

The IRGC's narrative portrays these events as successful interceptions of high-value intruders, bolstering domestic propaganda amid heightened tensions.

The strikes by Israel and the US on 28 February reportedly targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, prompting vows of retaliation from Tehran.

Since then, the conflict has spilled over, involving proxy forces and raising fears of disruptions in key chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz.

An image circulating from the scene shows an Israeli F-16 releasing flares near Beit Shemesh in Israel, dated to 2 March, amid the intensifying US-Israel-Iran confrontation.

Iran's leadership has also engaged diplomatically, with its president reportedly conveying to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "prerequisite" for ending the war: an end to hostilities from the US and Israel.

Live coverage of the West Asia war continues to track developments, including impacts on regional shipping and energy markets.

These air defence claims underscore Iran's bolstering of its integrated air defence systems, including Russian-supplied S-300s and indigenous variants, though their effectiveness against advanced stealth platforms like the F-35 remains debated.

Independent verification challenges persist, as both sides leverage state media to shape narratives in this shadow war over Iranian skies.

As the conflict enters its third week, analysts watch for potential Israeli reprisals or further US involvement, with risks mounting for wider regional instability.

AFP