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U.S. forces reportedly launched a search-and-rescue mission for the downed fighter jet in Iran shortly after the aircraft went down, officials told local media, as uncertainty deepens over the fate of the crew.
Three American officials confirmed that recovery operations were set in motion, though the exact condition and location of the crew remain unknown, according to CNN, while Iranian state media Tasnim reported that search efforts on their side had so far failed to locate any missing personnel.
U.S. authorities have yet to issue an official statement, leaving key details unresolved.
Photos released by Iranian media show fragments believed to belong to a U.S. fighter jet. Visible markings include references to "US Air Forces in Europe" and distinctive tail striping. The structure and markings point to an F-15, likely linked to the 48th Fighter Wing based in the United Kingdom, the report suggested.
The incident marks the first time a U.S. aircraft has been shot down over Iran during the war. Earlier in the conflict, three F-15 jets were lost in a friendly fire incident involving Kuwaiti air defenses..
Initial reports indicate the pilot ejected before the aircraft crashed, landing inside Iranian territory. This has left the pilot’s status unclear, with some accounts pointing to survival after ejection, while others suggest Iranian forces may have taken the pilot into custody.
The aircraft was reportedly destroyed upon impact, with Iranian sources claiming the scale of the explosion made survival unlikely. At the same time, separate field reports suggest the pilot did escape before the crash, keeping the situation unresolved.
Iranian authorities signaled a parallel effort on the ground, calling on security forces and civilians to help locate the pilot. Local television broadcasts urged residents to report or detain the pilot, with some reports indicating that rewards were being offered for capturing the pilot alive.
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