Day 21: F-35 Hit by Iranian Fire; Multi-Nation Intercepts Across Gulf

An F-35 took Iranian fire and made an emergency landing at a US air base — the first confirmed hit on a US combat aircraft since operations began Feb 28. The pilot is in stable condition. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia intercepted 10 drones, Bahrain downed 5 missiles (cumulative: 139 missiles, 238 drones), and UAE/Kuwait air defenses engaged incoming fire, indicating sustained Iranian launch rates into Day 21.