A United States fighter jet has been downed over Iranian territory, marking the first confirmed loss of a U.S. aircraft to Iranian air defenses since the recent escalation of hostilities, according to both U.S. officials and Iranian state media.
Multiple U.S. sources confirmed the incident to CNN, supporting Iranian reports that the jet was intercepted and destroyed by the country’s air defense systems.
The aircraft, widely reported and depicted in images as an F-15E Strike Eagle, is believed to have crashed in or near Khuzestan Province in southwestern Iran, about 470 kilometres from Tehran.
Footage geolocated near a bridge over the Karoon River shows low-flying military aircraft, likely involved in search-and-rescue or support operations following the crash.
U.S. forces reportedly launched a combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) mission using aircraft and helicopters to locate the crew, thought to include two pilots. Iranian media, including Fars News and Tasnim News Agency, said early efforts to find ejected personnel were unsuccessful.
Fars News reported that a reward had been announced for information leading to the capture of any “enemy pilot or pilots,” heightening concerns over the crew’s safety amid ongoing conflict. Iranian sources credited the downing to “advanced and newly developed” air defense systems operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Images and videos circulated by Iranian outlets allegedly show crash debris, including what appears to be an ejection seat, though independent verification is limited. Early Iranian reports misidentified the aircraft as an F-35, but U.S. and other reporting confirm it as an F-15E.
As of Friday afternoon, the Pentagon, United States Central Command (CENTCOM), and the White House had not released official statements regarding the incident or the crew’s status, a typical practice during active combat search-and-rescue operations in contested regions.