A U.S. F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iranian territory, marking the first such incident since the war began nearly five weeks ago. One crew member has been rescued, and efforts are ongoing to locate the second pilot.
The aircraft, which had a two-person crew, was downed by Iranian forces around 6:45 a.m. ET on Friday. A rescue mission was immediately launched. According to two U.S. officials who spoke with CBS News, one of the pilots had ejected before the plane crashed and was successfully rescued by U.S. forces. The pilot is currently alive and receiving medical attention.
U.S. forces are working urgently to recover the second pilot, who serves as a weapons system officer, before Iranian forces can reach them. Israel is also providing assistance in the search and rescue operation.
An Iranian news anchor has urged residents to turn in any “enemy pilot” to the police, offering a reward for those who do. Earlier, a TV crawl encouraged the public to “shoot them if you see them,” referring to social media footage that appeared to show U.S. aircraft in the area.
President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about what he would do if the pilot were harmed by the Iranians during an interview with The Independent. He said, “Well, I can’t comment on it because — we hope that’s not going to happen,” and ended the call shortly thereafter.
On the same day, Iran’s air defense system targeted an “enemy” A-10 aircraft near the Hormuz Strait, according to state media. The New York Times reported earlier that a second U.S. Air Force combat plane had crashed in the Gulf region on Friday, with its only pilot being rescued.
After being briefed on the F-15 crash, President Trump made no mention of the incident on Truth Social, where he wrote, “KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?” However, during a brief interview with NBC News, he stated that the downing of the U.S. fighter jet would not affect negotiations with Iran. “No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war,” he said.
As the search for the missing F-15 crew continues, Iranian state-linked media outlets reported that helicopters were deployed to find the U.S. military member. However, there were conflicting accounts regarding their origin.
Fars news agency indicated that it was unclear who operated the aircraft, while Tasnim claimed they were American and reported that at least one helicopter was forced to retreat after coming under fire. Tasnim also mentioned that a U.S. C-130 Hercules aircraft was involved in the operation.
Mizan, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s judiciary, reported that an American rescue mission was active and published images it claimed showed U.S. aircraft in Iranian airspace. Iranian officials have called on civilians to be on the lookout for survivors, according to Reuters. The governor of Iran’s Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province reportedly said that whoever captured or killed the crew “would be specially recommended,” according to the semi-official Iranian news agency ISNA.
This incident could present a significant political challenge for Trump, who recently suggested in a primetime address that the war was ending and that Iran’s military capability had been largely destroyed. Despite this, he maintained that the U.S.-Israeli bombardment would continue for “two or three weeks.”
Before the jet was shot down on Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social: “With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A ‘GUSHER’ FOR THE WORLD??? President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Iran’s attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and its control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas transits in peacetime, have caused stock markets to fluctuate, sent oil prices soaring, and threatened to increase the cost of basic goods, including food.
Trump has warned of potential strikes on Iran’s energy grid if the strait is not reopened. Iranian officials have rejected negotiations under current conditions. “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!” he wrote on social media late Thursday. “New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!”
On Friday, Trump celebrated the bombing of an Iranian bridge, warning on social media that there was “much more to follow.” Footage showed the moment the B1 bridge in Karaj, west of Tehran, was cut in half by the strike on Thursday. The attack resulted in eight deaths and 95 injuries, according to Iranian news media.
This is the first instance of a U.S. or Israeli jet being shot down over Iran since the war began. Three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle jets were previously downed by friendly fire over Kuwait in March, but none of the aircrews were injured.
More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war started on 28 February with U.S. and Israeli strikes, according to the Associated Press. In a review released on Friday, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a U.S.-based group, found that civilian casualties were concentrated around strikes on security and state-linked sites rather than indiscriminate bombardment of urban areas.
More than two dozen people have died in Gulf states and the occupied West Bank, 19 have been reported dead in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members have been killed. More than 1,300 people have been killed and more than 1 million displaced in Lebanon. Ten Israeli soldiers have also died there.
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