U.S. Fighter Jet downed in Southern Iran; Search and rescue operation underway
Tehran: A United States F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over southern Iran earlier today, marking the first confirmed loss of an American aircraft within Iranian territory since the conflict began five weeks ago.
The U.S. military has launched a high-risk combat search and rescue (CSAR) operation to locate and recover the pilot of the fighter jet which was shot down. Footage verified by defence analysts shows U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II and HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters conducting low-altitude search operations in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province of southern Iran.
Military experts noted that the aircraft are flying “low and slow,” indicating a willingness to take significant risks to recover the missing personnel.
While the fate of the two-person crew remains officially unconfirmed, images circulating on Iranian state media show the wreckage of an F-15E and a separated ACES II ejection seat on the ground. This evidence suggests that at least one crew member successfully ejected from the aircraft.
Local Iranian television channels have reportedly broadcast messages offering rewards for the capture of “enemy pilots” and urging the public to hand them over to the police.
The incident occurs amidst a flurry of claims from Tehran regarding U.S. aviation losses. Earlier today, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have downed a second F-35 stealth fighter jet over central Iran using a new air-defence system.
While U.S. officials confirmed the loss of the F-15E, there has been no official confirmation regarding the claimed F-35 downing. Previously, on March 23, the U.S. acknowledged an F-35 had made an emergency landing after being struck by a missile, but the aircraft was not lost.
The downing of the F-15E, which was reportedly part of the 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath, brings the total number of American service members killed in “Operation Epic Fury” to 13, with hundreds more wounded.
Despite this loss, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) maintains that significant progress is being made in dismantling the Iranian regime’s military infrastructure, reporting that Iranian air and missile defence systems have been largely degraded.
