In a major escalation, Iran reportedly downed a US F-15E Strike Eagle on Friday. The twin-seat aircraft carried a pilot and a weapons systems officer. According to US media, American special forces managed to rescue one crew member, while the second remains missing, with Iranian forces reportedly searching for them.
Meanwhile, a US A-10 Warthog was hit and crashed over Kuwait. The pilot successfully ejected and is believed to be safe.
Two US Black Hawk helicopters involved in the rescue mission were also struck by Iranian fire. However, both aircraft managed to exit Iranian airspace without further damage, according to US officials cited by Reuters.
After reports emerged that two US warplanes were shot down by the Iranian military on Friday, President Donald Trump, in first reaction, ruled out the possibility of the downing affecting negotiations. The US officials, as cited by Reuters, confirmed that two fighter jets, an F-15 and an A-10 Warthog, were downed in Iran.
When asked whether the downing of the jets would affect ongoing negotiations with Iran, Trump said in an NBC News interview, "No, not at all. No, it's war. We're in a war."
Trump declined to provide further details on the rescue operation for the missing pilot who ejected after the aircraft was shot down, stating that he was unhappy with the media coverage as it could affect the rescue efforts.
