U.S., Iran race to locate missing crew after fighter jet downed over Iranian territory
Tehran — U.S. and Iranian forces on Saturday raced to locate a missing crew member from a downed American F-15 fighter jet over central Iran, marking the first such loss of a U.S. warplane inside Iranian territory since the conflict began, as both sides sought to secure personnel amid ongoing hostilities.
Iranian authorities said the aircraft was shot down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ aerospace defense systems, describing the jet as “completely obliterated” and confirming that search operations were ongoing. U.S. media reported that one of the two crew members had been rescued by American special forces, while efforts continued to recover the second.
The U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment on the incident, though the White House said President Donald Trump had been briefed. In remarks to NBC, Trump said the loss would not affect ongoing negotiations with Iran, stating, “No, not at all. No, it’s war.
”Iranian state media indicated that authorities had offered a “valuable reward” for the capture of any surviving crew member, underscoring the urgency and strategic importance attached to the recovery effort.
In a separate development, Iran’s military said it had also struck a U.S. A-10 ground attack aircraft in the Gulf, while U.S. media reported that the pilot in that incident had been rescued. There was no immediate confirmation from U.S. officials.
The incident comes amid an escalating conflict that began more than a month ago following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering a broader regional confrontation. The conflict has disrupted economic activity across the Middle East and raised concerns over global energy security.U.S.
Central Command said earlier this week that American forces had flown more than 13,000 missions and struck over 12,300 targets during operations in Iran. Despite sustained bombardment, analysts say Iran retains operational air defense capabilities.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the downing likely reflected continued effectiveness of Iran’s residual defenses. He noted that U.S. aircraft flying at lower altitudes may be more exposed to threats, adding that portable shoulder-fired missiles were a plausible cause.
Mark Cancian, a defense adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said such systems are harder to detect and could explain the aircraft loss. He described the broader U.S. air campaign as successful but noted that even limited losses can carry political consequences domestically.
Retired U.S. brigadier general Houston Cantwell said survival training for downed pilots prioritizes concealment and communication to enable recovery while avoiding capture. He added that both sides typically attempt to intercept or manipulate signals during such operations.
The downing represents the first U.S. jet loss in combat since 2003, when an aircraft was struck over Baghdad and the pilot was safely recovered. Rescue missions in contested environments often rely on helicopters, which Cantwell said are particularly vulnerable due to their slower speed and lower altitude.
The U.S. military has previously acknowledged other aircraft losses during the current conflict, including a tanker crash in Iraq and several fighter jets downed in friendly fire incidents involving allied forces.
