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F-35 fighter jet crashes near San Diego Marine Corps base, sparking fire

▶ Watch Video: Watch: F-35 crash at Marine Corps station in San Diego

An F-35 fighter jet crashed near a Marine Corps base in San Diego on Friday, sparking a small fire. A Marine Corps spokesperson said the pilot ejected, was recovered, and is being transported to a medical facility. It’s not immediately clear what led to the crash.

An aerial photo shows the smoking aircraft on the ground in what appeared to be an open field at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Another image shows multiple vehicles and multiple responders on the scene. The hatch of the plane appears to be open.

Footage taken by CBS affiliate KFMB-TV’s helicopter shows responders working to put out the fire. The CBS News Confirmed team was able to verify social media videos that showed a plume of black smoke emitting from the plane as responders spray it with fire retardant.

The pilot has not been identified. The Marine Corps said in a statement that the pilot was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. 

Crews work the scene after an incident at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, July 31, 2026.
Crews work the scene after an incident at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, July 31, 2026.

KFMB-TV

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is about 10 miles north of San Diego. The base is home to over 15,000 Marines, sailors and civilians, and is the headquarters of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

In 2023, a Marine Corps pilot died after ejecting from his jet near the base. The pilot was the only person aboard the F/A-18 Hornet. The craft crashed on government property just before midnight local time, officials said at the time, and the pilot was found dead after an hourslong search by the U.S. Coast Guard and San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. The pilot was later identified as Maj. Andrew Mettler. 

F-35s are used by the Air Force, the Navy and the Marines. Each jet costs about $100 million. Other crashes involving the planes have made headlines in recent years. 

Crews work the scene after an incident at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, July 31, 2026.
Crews work the scene after an incident at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, July 31, 2026.

KFMB-TV

A pilot ejected from his fighter jet in California’s Fresno County in July 2025. The crash caused a small grass fire, but the pilot was safely recovered. In January 2025, an Air Force pilot experienced an “in-flight emergency” while flying an F-35 craft during a training mission at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. Video reviewed by CBS News showed the plane twirling toward the ground, then exploding upon impact. The pilot was able to eject and parachute safely to the ground.

In 2024, a Marine Corps pilot ejected from an F-35 after experiencing a series of technical malfunctions during a heavy rainstorm. The plane continued to fly by itself for over 11 minutes, covering about 70 miles, before crashing and causing damage to some private land. The pilot landed safely in a driveway and called 911. The crash site was found one day later. An investigation found the pilot had acted improperly by ejecting.

U.S., Israel preparing to bombard energy-related targets in Iran, sources say

▶ Watch Video: Trump says he's losing faith in Iran as doubts mount about a potential peace deal Washington — The United States and Israel are planning what would be one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date against energy infrastructure targets in Iran, multiple sources told CBS News, with strikes possible throughout the weekend. There was some discussion about trying to conclude by the time financial markets open Monday because of concern about how the bombings will affect the U.S. and global economy, but an end point wasn't locked in.The Israelis have been notified and are coordinating with the United States, according to multiple U.S. sources. The president has yet to give the final go orders for the strikes, the sources said.A spokesperson for the Israeli government did not respond.A joint operation would mark Israel's return to combat operations which it had halted during the U.S.-brokered truce. Iran has not hit Israel since the memorandum of understanding fell apart and the U.S. restarted combat operations in early July.The military strike plan came up during President Trump's cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, according to sources briefed later. Some White House aides who focus on politics were strongly opposed, one of the sources said. While reporters were in the room, Mr. Trump said: "We'll be hitting them very hard. At some point, they're going to say, 'We just can't take it anymore.'""I think we just want to win," he told the press when asked about reviving diplomacy.Energy infrastructure including power plants and refineries would likely be targeted, two of the sources said. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to CBS News: "As President Trump said at his cabinet meeting today, the United States will win, and Iran will not have a nuclear weapon under his watch."Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the Pentagon would not comment on targets before the president makes a final decision. "The Department of War is locked and loaded, ready to execute the President's directives at a moment's notice," Parnell said in a statement. A former U.S. military official told CBS that the value of hitting energy infrastructure would be to impact the Iranian military's ability to provide services and effectively govern. When Mr. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met earlier this week, Netanyahu briefed him on three options for the war, including military strikes focused on land resupply routes, a senior Israeli official said. Netanyahu also met with Defense Secretary Hegseth.The U.S. has already struck bridges in this conflict that were dual-use — used by the military and civilians — a U.S. official said. There were high-level U.S. discussions Friday about cutting electricity across Tehran, but no decision had been made as of Friday afternoon.Last week, Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that he would bomb and destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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