Iran: F-35B Lightning II Roars Off U.S. Assault Ship In Middle East Operations.

Iran - September 01, 2026 Middle East – A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II took off from the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer during flight operations on September 1, 2026. The 70-second footage shows the short-takeoff/vertical-landing fighter launching from the flight deck of USS Boxer, with the aircraft attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122 and embarked with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Boxer is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. The official page does not identify a specific exercise, target or combat event. The footage is flight-deck launch B-roll and does not show combat. The Boxer and VMFA-122 F-35B pairing also appeared in stills dated August 29, August 11 and August 7. The September 1 footage is the takeoff sequence.