US F-15E downed over Iran, search underway amid rising tensions
A U.S. F-15E fighter jet has reportedly been shot down over Iran, prompting a frantic search and rescue operation for its two-strong crew, marking the first such incident since the escalation of the regional conflict.
Iranian state-linked media released images of aircraft debris, including a tail fin, early Friday, initially claiming that an advanced F-35 had been hit by a new air defense system.
Aviation experts later identified the wreckage as an F-15E from the U.S. Air Force’s 494th Squadron, based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.
U.S. officials, speaking off the record, confirmed that an F-15E had been brought down and that the Pentagon was actively trying to locate the crew.
However, there has been no official public comment from the U.S. military regarding the incident. Subsequent footage from Iran showed a U.S. C-130 Hercules and HH-60 Pavehawk helicopters flying low and refueling mid-air, fueling speculation that the jet’s crew may have ejected and survived.
Iranian state media claimed that one pilot ejected over southwestern Iran and urged civilians to report or capture the “enemy pilot,” even offering a reward. Social media footage purportedly showing U.S. aircraft in the area accompanied the broadcast, though these claims have not been independently verified.
The incident comes amid a widening regional conflict, with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian facilities and retaliatory Iranian attacks across the Gulf. A recent strike on a major bridge near Karaj, west of Tehran, reportedly killed at least eight people, while Kuwait reported damage to a desalination plant, a critical water facility.
The situation underscores the rapid escalation of hostilities in the region, with the potential to further inflame tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran. U.S. Central Command previously dismissed claims of other downed jets near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that all fighter aircraft were accounted for, but the latest F-15E incident highlights the ongoing volatility.
