Iran shot down a US F-15 fighter jet on Friday, several American media outlets reported, citing sources. After the crash, US forces launched a search and rescue operation for the two-person crew. While The New York Times reported that the fate of the crew was unclear, Axios cited sources to state that one of the two members has been rescued.
FOLLOW: US Iran war LIVE updates: One crew member of US fighter jet downed over Iran rescued, say officials
Iran issues statement
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iran had shot down a ‘highly advanced American fighter jet’. Other Iranian media published photos showing what they said was wreckage of a down jet.
Read More: Another US fighter jet downed, says Iran; state TV urges people to capture pilot
The Iranian government is yet to comment on the incident.
Where is the F-15 crew after the crash?
Axios cited sources to report that one crew member has been rescued, while an urgent search continues for the second. The report states that special forces successfully located and extracted the crew member alive from inside Iranian territory after both individuals ejected when the aircraft was struck by Iranian fire. The condition of the rescued individual has not been revealed yet.
The second crew member, however, remains unaccounted for.
Iran ‘hunting’ crew members
Iranian authorities are reportedly conducting their own search operation and have gone a step further by urging civilians to assist. State television broadcast messages encouraging the public to locate the missing American, even offering a government reward.
The aircraft involved, an F-15E Strike Eagle, typically carries two personnel, a pilot and a weapons systems officer, and is designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions.
While several F-15Es have been lost earlier in the conflict, those incidents were attributed to friendly fire rather than direct enemy engagement.
White House responds
At the White House, officials are closely monitoring developments. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed, ‘the President has been briefed’.
More than 5,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far, almost three-quarters of them in Iran, according to government organizations and the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Just over 1,300 people have been killed in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting a parallel war against Iran-allied Hezbollah.
(With Bloomberg inputs)
