US Military Aircraft Shot Down Over Iran Amid Ongoing Search-and-Rescue Mission

Two US military aircraft were shot down in separate incidents over Iran on Friday while conducting combat operations, according to US officials. The incidents prompted a high-risk search-and-rescue operation that continues for one missing American crew member.

The downed planes include an F-15E fighter jet and an A-10 attack aircraft. Officials confirmed that one of the two crew members aboard the F-15 was rescued after the jet crashed inside Iranian territory. The crew member's condition was not immediately released. The A-10 pilot managed to fly the damaged aircraft into Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting safely; that pilot was subsequently rescued.

During the recovery attempt, two US search-and-rescue helicopters also came under Iranian fire, resulting in injuries among US personnel. Both helicopters returned safely to base, US officials said. The events mark the first known instance of a crewed US aircraft brought down inside hostile territory since the start of the current conflict with Iran.

The US military’s Operation Epic Fury, now ongoing for over a month, has resulted in 13 American service member fatalities, including seven from hostile fire and six from a prior plane crash in Iraq. Nearly 370 others have been wounded, according to official figures. Friday’s shootdowns have raised new questions about the status of Iran’s air defense capabilities, despite earlier assurances from US leadership that American forces had achieved air superiority in the region.

US defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the rapidly evolving situation, acknowledged the increased risk for American personnel involved in the combat search-and-rescue efforts. Experts noted that low-flying search operations are especially vulnerable to threats such as shoulder-fired anti-aircraft weapons and artillery, which remain difficult to neutralize even after extensive strikes on Iranian facilities.

Iranian state media reported both official and civilian efforts to locate and recover the downed US crew members, with conflicting calls for restraint and targeting of Americans found in the area. The US government has not provided additional details about the status of the missing airman. Pentagon spokespersons have yet to issue an official statement.

As of Friday, the search-and-rescue mission is ongoing, and the fate of the missing F-15 crew member remains uncertain.