US confirm fighter jet shot down over Iran as hunt underway for survivors
Wreckage of what Iranian state media claim to be the plane (Image: Press TV/X)A United States fighter jet has been shot down over Iran with state media claiming those on board ejected out. The fighter jet is understood to have been struck over central Iran with state media soon after sharing images of what appeared to be American aircraft flying over the area, including helicopters, planes and drones. Aviation experts said the wreckage pictured was from a F-15E from the US air force’s 494th squadron, based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK, but it could not be confirmed when the photos were taken. A pilot and a navigator are reported to have been on the plane and their locations are not known.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that a fighter jet was destroyed using an advanced defence system of the IRGC Aerospace Force and the plane belonged to the Lakenheath squadron. But it claimed the plane was a F-35 fighter jet while the wrecker Throughout the war, Iran has made a series of claims about shooting down piloted enemy aircraft that turned out not to be true. But Friday was the first time that Iran went on television urging the public to hunt a suspected downed pilot. Multiple US media and sources have confirmed the news, following the earlier claims in Iranian media. A public request for help suggests the Iranian military, police and security services maintain a small presence in the rural region that spans over 15,500 square kilometres (5,900 square miles). Iranian authorities also urged Iranians to search for the pilots in neighbouring Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, in addition to Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. The area is mainly home to Iran’s Lur people, many of whom are farmers. The extreme south of the province is the start of Iran’s oil fields in the area.
Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency posted a video to its Telegram channel of a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft which it claimed was part of a US search and rescue operation relating to the downed plane.
The post said: “America's attempt to free its downed fighter pilot has failed. Sources told Tasnim's reporter in Kohgiluyeh that the Americans, starting an hour ago, conducted a search operation using Black Hawk helicopters and a Hercules 130 to free their fighter pilot who was shot down by Iran's armed forces; however, their efforts have failed.” The US military has yet to comment on these reports from Iranian media. Last night CENTCOM, the US military command in the region did post on X last night to say a previous Iranian claim that a fighter had been downed over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz was “false”. Nearly two weeks ago a US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing after it was hit by suspected enemy fire.
Comments (0)