Brad Pitt admits he yelled at his kids but denies hitting them

Brad Pitt admitted to child-abuse investigators that he screamed at eldest kid Maddox during a flight from Europe to Los Angeles — but swore he never raised a hand to the boy, a source close to the actor told The Post.

A complaint alleging he hit his children in a drunken rage, was lodged with LA child services before his wife, Angelina Jolie, filed for divorce and custody of the youngsters, the source added.

The “World War Z” hunk was questioned about the Sept. 14 incident and is said to be stunned over the allegations.

He was never physically abusive to Jolie or the kids, sources close to Pitt told The Post.

“Angelina and Brad got into an argument while on the plane, and their [15-year-old] son, Maddox, stepped in and got caught in the middle,” one Pitt insider said.

“Brad may have been drinking, and admits that he yelled at his son, but he insists he did not hit him or attempt to harm him. It was a confrontation that got out of hand.”

Pitt’s camp claims Jolie gave the bad-dad narrative to news outlets to sully his name and win custody of the kids. It remains unclear who called in the report to authorities.

“Angelina is putting out [the abuse] story to take the kids away from him,” said the source. “Angelina’s team’s campaign to smear him is so aggressive.”

The source close to Pitt said, “He and Angelina fought a lot recently, and she knows how to push his buttons. But he is adamant that he did not hit these kids, like she’s trying to say.”

Pitt, 52, who has several attorneys on call, including Bert Fields, is now represented by divorce lawyer to the stars Lance Spiegel, who helped “Gossip Girl” star Kelly Rutherford in her custody battle.