US-Iran Conflict Spreads to Gulf Airspace as Multiple Sides Lose Combat Aircraft

Qatar said its air force downed two Iranian fighter jets in early March 2026, pulling a Gulf state into the US-Iran conflict. Iran's parliamentary speaker later claimed Iranian forces shot down a US F-15E over southwestern Iran, unconfirmed by US authorities. The engagements span March and April, signaling sustained aerial combat across multiple theaters rather than isolated incidents.