(TJV NEWS) A U.S. F‑15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over Iran on Friday, and one of the two crew members has been rescued, U.S. officials told CBS News. The second crew member remains missing as search-and-rescue operations continue in challenging and hostile terrain.
The aircraft, carrying a pilot and a weapons systems officer, went down inside Iranian territory. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for shooting down the jet and released videos and images purporting to show the wreckage. Independent verification of the footage is limited.
Iran’s IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency has published a video of people in southern Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province “searching for American pilots”. pic.twitter.com/0i91p9y4Qt
— Ghoncheh Habibiazad | غنچه (@GhonchehAzad) April 3, 2026
U.S. forces immediately launched a search-and-rescue mission involving HC‑130 and HH‑60 helicopters. One airman has already been recovered and is receiving medical care, while efforts to locate the second continue.
This incident marks a rare confirmed loss of a manned U.S. aircraft over Iranian soil, underscoring the ongoing risks faced by American pilots operating in the region.
BREAKING: One of two crew members of a U.S. fighter jet that was shot down over Iran was located and rescued by U.S. special forces and the search for the second is ongoing, sources tell Axios. https://t.co/ZXndzj9n5I
— Axios (@axios) April 3, 2026
Iranian state media has urged civilians to assist in capturing any surviving U.S. crew members, offering rewards for information or cooperation with authorities.
Separately, Iranian state media said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iranian defense forces.
Separately, Iranian state media said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iranian defense forces.
Pentagon officials have not disclosed the exact cause of the crash, leaving open questions about whether the jet was downed by missiles, anti-aircraft fire, or other factors.
CBS News will continue to follow developments as U.S. forces search for the missing airman and assess the broader implications for ongoing military operations in the region.
