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A U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle has been shot down over Iran, prompting an urgent combat search and rescue operation for its two crew members. This marks the first confirmed loss of a U.S. fast jet since the war began.
Initially, Iranian state media claimed that a stealth F-35 fighter jet had been destroyed by a new air defence system, releasing images of wreckage early on Friday.
However, aviation analysts later identified the debris as belonging to an F-15E from the U.S. Air Force’s 494th Squadron, based at RAF Lakenheath. U.S. officials have since confirmed, off the record, that an F-15E was indeed downed, although the Pentagon has yet to issue a formal statement.
Footage broadcast from Iran appeared to show a C-130 Hercules operating alongside HH-60 Pavehawk helicopters at low altitude, with indications of mid-air refuelling — a strong sign that a combat search-and-rescue mission is underway. Aviation expert Justin Bronk noted that the involvement of specialist rescue aircraft suggests the efforts are focused on locating and extracting the two crew members.
News sources reported to a Tasnim reporter in Kohgiluyeh that “the Americans have been conducting a search operation using Black Hawk helicopters and a Hercules 130 for about an hour to rescue the fighter pilot shot down by the Iranian armed forces; however, their efforts have failed.”
🚨‼️ BREAKING 💥
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) announce the downing of an American F-15 fighter jet on Qeshm Island. pic.twitter.com/Uvf71IlXrj— GBX (@GBX_Press) April 3, 2026
A separate image circulating on social media, reportedly linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, showed what appeared to be an ACES II ejector seat, the type used in F-15 aircraft. Bronk mentioned that if the image is genuine, it would suggest at least one of the two crew members ejected safely.
Iranian state media, including the Tasnim News Agency, claimed that one pilot had been captured, although earlier reports suggested that the aircrew may have been killed. These accounts remain unverified.
The US Air Force lost a F-15 Strike Eagle over Iran, presumably shot down.
Currently SAR operations are ongoing to retrieve the two crewmen. An HC-130J refueling two HH-60G Pave Hawks can be seen deep inside Iranian airspace. pic.twitter.com/MVJarVxaoU
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) April 3, 2026
Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command rejected separate Iranian claims that another F-35 had been shot down over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that all U.S. stealth aircraft are accounted for.
This incident marks a significant turning point in the five-week conflict, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Until now, no American fighter jets had been confirmed lost in Iranian airspace.
The downing of the aircraft follows a series of military losses, including a friendly fire incident involving F-15s in early March and the destruction of an E-3 Sentry at a Saudi base during an Iranian strike. Analysts warn that the loss of a U.S. aircraft — and the potential for captured aircrew — dramatically raises the stakes, increasing pressure on President Donald Trump to respond while also heightening the risk of further escalation.
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