politics
April 3, 2026
One of two US crew members rescued after F-15E jet shot down over Iran
Officials say other remains missing in first downing of US fighter plane since start of war
TL;DR
- A US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over Iran.
- One of the two crew members has been rescued, while the other is still missing.
- This is the first US fighter jet lost since the war began nearly five weeks ago.
- Iranian state media initially claimed an F-35 was hit by a new air defense system, but wreckage suggests an F-15E.
- Rescue operations involved a C-130 Hercules and an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter.
- An Iranian businessman offered a reward for capturing the crew members alive.
- Geolocated footage indicates the incident occurred near Behbahan.
- The US president previously claimed the US had 'beaten and completely decimated Iran'.
- A second US air force combat plane, an A-10 Warthog, crashed in the Persian Gulf region, with its pilot safely rescued.
- Israel launched new strikes on northern Tehran and Beirut.
- International law experts expressed concerns about potential war crimes related to US threats against Iran's infrastructure.
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