Fact Check: Viral Images Claiming Israeli Jet Was Shot Down and Female Pilot Captured by Iran Are False

Claim: Viral images on social media claim that Iran shot down an Israeli fighter jet over Tehran and captured a female Israeli pilot named “Sarah Ahronot.”

Fact-Check Verdict: False and Misleading. The images being shared are old and unrelated to the current Iran-Israel conflict.

The Claim

In the wake of rising tensions between Iran and Israel, several social media users have circulated two viral images:

1. An image showing a fighter jet crashing in flames, claimed to be an Israeli F-16 downed over Tehran.

1. A photo of a female pilot in uniform, claimed to be “Sarah Ahronot,” allegedly captured by Iran.

The posts come after Iranian state media claimed to have shot down two Israeli jets and captured a female pilot. A claim denied by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Investigation

Image of the Downed Jet

• A reverse image search revealed that the viral photo is not new.
• It actually shows a Russian Su-24 fighter jet that was shot down by Turkey near the Syrian border in November 2015, as reported by BBC, The Guardian, and Daily Star.
• A comparison of the viral image with the 2015 original shows identical contrails and tail features, confirming it is the same jet, falsely presented as Israeli.

Image of the “Captured” Female Pilot

• Another reverse image search traced the second viral photo to a 2021 article by Aeroflap, which reports on Lieutenant Daniela Figueroa Scholz, the first female naval aviator in the Chilean Navy.
• Her name tag and Chilean military insignia are clearly visible in the original photo.
• There is no Israeli connection, and no credible evidence suggests a pilot named Sarah Ahronot exists.

Official Statements

• The IDF has denied any such incident of jet loss or pilot capture.
• No credible international media or military sources have confirmed the viral claims.

Conclusion

False Claim: Israeli fighter jet shot down and female pilot “Sarah Ahronot” captured by Iran.
Fact: The images are misappropriated—one from a 2015 Turkey-Russia incident, and the other from a 2021 Chilean Navy graduation. There is no evidence such an event occurred in the current Iran-Israel conflict.