A fighter jet belonging to the United States has been downed in Iran, as reported by state media, indicating that the occupants managed to eject from the aircraft. The incident occurred in central Iran, where state media released images of American aircraft, including helicopters, planes, and drones, flying over the area. Experts in aviation have identified the wreckage as belonging to an F-15E from the US Air Force’s 494th squadron, stationed at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. However, the exact timing of the photos remains unconfirmed.
Reports suggest that the fighter jet was taken down by an advanced defense system of the IRGC Aerospace Force, as claimed by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), stating that the plane was from the Lakenheath squadron. The IRGC asserted that the aircraft was an F-35 fighter jet, although the wreckage indicated otherwise.
In a rare move, Iran has called on the public to assist in locating the suspected downed pilot, marking the first time the country has made such an appeal on television. Multiple US media outlets have corroborated the news following the initial reports in Iranian media.
Authorities in Iran have urged citizens to search for the pilots in provinces neighboring the crash site, which is primarily inhabited by the Lur people, many of whom are farmers. The region is also significant for being the starting point of Iran’s oil fields.
The Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency shared a video claiming to show a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft involved in a US search and rescue operation related to the downed plane. The agency reported that American efforts to rescue the pilot using Black Hawk helicopters and a Hercules 130 were unsuccessful.
The US military has not yet commented on the reports from Iranian media. However, the US military command in the region previously refuted an Iranian claim of a downed fighter over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Not long ago, another US F-35 fighter jet had to make an emergency landing due to suspected enemy fire.
