Farhan Qureshi 
Introduction
As armed conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, reports emerged that an F-15 Jet Shot Down Near Hormuz on November 15, 2014 near the Strait of Hormuz. This was picked up by Iranian media outlets providing witness testimony and video evidence of the incident. The U.S. was quick to call these claims false. Below is a verified account of what actually took place.
What Iran Claimed
Iran’s Air Defense Successfully:
* Intercepted a F-15 Fighter Jet
* Used A Surface To Air Missile To Attack The F-15
This Event Occurred On/Off Of The Coast Of Hormuz Island (Which Is Also A Location Of Great Strategic Importance).
The F-15 Allegedly Violated Iranian Airspace And Therefore Was Fairly Engaged.
Although There Are Some Media Reports With Video Evidence Showing This Engagement Occurred, There Have Not Been Any Sources To Confirm Or Verify This Incident Independently As Of This Point.
US Fact-Check: What Really Happened
The U.S. had a very strong response from its U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stating that they completely rejected the claims made by Iran.
Here are key points from their response:
There was no F-15 aircraft shot down by Iran
All U.S. air power in the U.S. Central Command region has been over 8,000 combat sorties without one being shot down by Iran
CENTCOM’s response clearly stated:
No US fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran
This directly contradicts Iran’s claims and labels the reports as misinformation.
Confusion Around Viral Videos
Much of the confusion over whether or not an F-15 was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz stems from videos posted on various internet sites that demonstrate features such as missile systems being fired at aircraft.
While many of these videos appear to be authentically depicting proof of the F-15 incident, most do not contain independent verification. In fact, it is likely that many of these videos are either misinterpreted footage or show footage that is not even related to this incident whatsoever.
Important Context: Earlier F-15 Incidents
To add some insight regarding F-15 incidents, there have been a couple of F-15 incidents in the year 2019; however, these are not connected to Iran downing one of our F-15s over the Strait of Hormuz: In March 2019, three US F-15’s were shot down by Kuwaiti (and friendly) forces, as a part of a friendly fire incident; all crews escaped safely. These other incidents could add to the confusion in the online environment regarding any difference between January 2019a and these new 2019 incidents.
Why This Claim Matters
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most critical military/ economic areas in the world, and, therefore, any confirmed incident involving the shooting down of a U.S. fighter jet would:
- Increase the tensions between the U.S. and Iran
- Lead to an increase in global oil prices
- Increase the chances of a confrontation between the two countries
Thus, each country is trying to control the various narratives and the different pieces of evidence and information regarding these incidents. Visit homepage for more alerts.
Conclusion:
Overall, there has not been any independent verification supporting the claim that an F-15 was shot down in the Strait of Hormuz, and at this time, the U.S. Government maintains that none of its aircraft have been shot down or are currently non-operational. Therefore, this incident can be considered unverified.
