Has Iran brought down an ‘unkillable’ US F-35 jet?

The supersonic fighter jet is designed to avoid detection by radar and other technologies.

After a United States F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at an airbase in the Middle East last week during the escalating US-Israeli war on Iran, two sources familiar with the matter told US media the jet had been struck by Iran as it returned from a combat mission – a claim Iranian state media also reported.

If true, this would be the first time during the war that an F-35, the cornerstone of Washington’s aerial firepower, has been struck by Iran.

Here’s what we know about the incident and why it is significant:

After the F-35 stealth fighter jet made its emergency landing on Thursday, Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), said it had landed safely and the pilot was in a stable condition.

“This incident is under investigation,” Hawkins added without specifying why or where the aircraft had landed.