The head of Iran’s state broadcaster admitted on Tuesday that Iranian military claims of shooting down Israeli F-35 stealth fighters during a conflict were false, acknowledging the reports damaged the credibility of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

Peyman Jabali, IRIB’s chief, told students at Shahid Beheshti University that his agency was not directly monitoring defense systems and relied on inaccurate information from Iranian military officials, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported.

“Were we in the sky to witness the fighter jet crash? Were we behind the defense system? Someone from the military officials informed us, and then they eventually realized…that the information was not credible and gave us another piece of news,” Jabali said.

False claims during Operation Rising Lion

Iranian state media claimed in mid-June that Iran’s air defenses had downed two, and later three, Israeli F-35I Adir jets during Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, a massive air campaign involving more than 200 Israeli aircraft that struck Iranian nuclear facilities and military targets on June 13.

Iranian outlets, including Press TV, reported at the time that pilots had been captured and that Iran had become “the first country in the world to successfully shoot down fifth-generation fighter jets.” The claims were amplified across Iranian diplomatic channels and state media.

Israel’s military immediately and categorically denied the reports. Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee called the claims “fake Iranian media, completely baseless,” while Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani described them as “complete FAKE NEWS.”

Images showed clear fabrication

Military analysts who examined images circulated by Iranian media identified multiple inconsistencies with actual F-35 specifications. The vertical stabilizer appeared to be mounted directly on the engine—a configuration not found on any known aircraft—while the Star of David insignia was positioned on the rear fuselage rather than the front, where Israeli Air Force markings are standardly placed, analysts said. The surrounding terrain showed no burn marks or debris field typical of aircraft crashes.

Here’s a verified image of an Israel F-35, notice the difference in the placement of the Star of David insignia not being positioned on the rear fuselage but rather on the front:

Iran never provided verified images of wreckage or captured pilots to support its claims. Some images were traced to unrelated incidents, including a U.S. Air Force F-35A that crashed near Albuquerque, New Mexico, in May 2024, while others appeared to be digitally altered or AI-generated, according to analysts.

NewsGuard, a media monitoring organization, identified 51 websites spreading false claims about the Israel-Iran conflict in June, many tied to Iranian state-affiliated sources.

No independent military analysts or Western defense officials confirmed any Israeli aircraft losses during Operation Rising Lion. The Israel Air Force conducted strikes on Iranian targets including the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility and achieved what Israeli officials described as air superiority over Tehran within days of the operation’s start.

Credibility concerns

Jabali’s admission highlights the challenges facing Iran’s state media apparatus, which operates under U.S. Treasury Department sanctions. IRIB is controlled by the Iranian government and has been accused of spreading disinformation during conflicts.

“Media officials should not make their credibility dependent on the credibility of other institutions and organizations,” Jabali said during his remarks to students.

The F-35I Adir is Israel’s customized variant of Lockheed Martin’s F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter, equipped with Israeli-developed electronic warfare systems and costing approximately $100 million per aircraft. Israel operates multiple squadrons of the jets, which have been central to its air operations across the Middle East.

IRIB and Iran’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.