Iran reportedly struck a second American warplane in the Persian Gulf region on Friday and hit two US helicopters involved a search-and-rescue effort.
A rescue operation is underway after Iran allegedly downed a US F-15 on Friday. One crew member was rescued and a second pilot is still missing.
State media claims that Iranian security forces are searching the region for the airman, with officials urging citizens to find him “alive” and offering rewards for his capture.
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An A-10 attack plane was also also hit by Iranian fire. The pilot navigated the damaged plane to Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting and being subsequently rescued,.
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RT reports: On Friday, a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron – part of the 48th Fighter Wing, normally based in Suffolk, England – was shot down over central Iran while conducting combat operations, according to US media outlets.
Both crew members – a pilot and a weapons systems officer – successfully ejected, with US special forces managing to rescue one of them alive within Iran.
The search for the second one continues. NBC News reported, citing sources, that US helicopters dispatched to rescue the person were hit by Iranian fire. According to the Washington Post, US personnel on board were injured, but both aircraft safely returned to their base.
Videos circulating on social media show what appears to be Iranian militia opening small arms fire on two US helicopters.
In addition, an A-10 Thunderbolt II – a single-seat ground-attack aircraft – was struck by Iranian fire while supporting search-and-rescue efforts. The pilot managed to navigate the damaged plane out of Iranian airspace before ejecting over Kuwait, where he was subsequently recovered.
What does the US say?
The Pentagon and CENTCOM have yet to respond to requests from US media outlets to comment. The Pentagon, however, notified the House Armed Services Committee of the loss of the F-15E, according to The Hill.
Trump said the downing of the jet won’t affect peace negotiations with Iran – which Tehran insists are not taking place at all.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he is “praying for the safe return of the crew aboard the fighter jet and all of those working to rescue them in these dangerous conditions.”
Former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney told ABC News that the US was sure to lose some aircraft over enemy territory at some point, but said the development is “disturbing.”
“It potentially represents a major escalation. If the missing crew member remains missing, huge political pressure in the United States to do anything to find that person.”
What does Iran say?
Iranian media initially identified the downed aircraft as an F-35 stealth fighter, though the claim was later refuted by US media and OSINT experts.
The Iranian military claimed that, on top of the two aircraft, they downed five drones and missiles, describing it as a “black day” for the US and Israel. Tehran also stated that a “new advanced” air defense system was used to destroy the aircraft, adding that it shows that its forces still have fighting capability.
Iranian state TV has called on people to capture the surviving US crew, with the local authorities offering a reward of around $60,000 for anyone who hands over the American service members alive.
Footage circulating on social media shows what appears to be a group of local residents armed with rifles and carrying an Iranian flag heading out to the mountains for their own ‘rescue mission’, with another clip showing the aircraft debris.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf mocked the US, saying that “after defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?’”
