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US and Iranian forces are racing to recover a missing American crew member after an F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran, according to multiple reports. Tehran says it downed the warplane, while US media reports indicate that American special forces have rescued one of the two crew members, with the other still unaccounted for.

The incident marks the first US fighter jet to go down inside Iran since the conflict began, according to Dawn and France 24. The war erupted more than a month ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering retaliation that has spread across the Middle East.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting the downing and rescue

Most outlets, including BBC, Dawn, and France 24, report that Tehran claims to have shot down the F-15 using an advanced air defence system. US media, as cited by Dawn and BBC, report that American special forces rescued one of the two crew members—a pilot and a weapons systems officer. The identity of the rescued crew member was initially unclear, but later reports from BBC indicate the weapons systems officer was rescued, while the pilot had been recovered shortly after the ejection.

Iran's military also says it downed a US A-10 Warthog aircraft in the Gulf, with US media reporting the pilot was rescued. The A-10 was reportedly part of the search-and-rescue mission for the F-15 crew, according to CBS News, as cited by BBC.

Conflicting details and unanswered questions

While the broad outline of events is consistent across sources, specific details vary. BBC's later report says both crew members have now been rescued, with President Donald Trump confirming the second airman's rescue on social media. Earlier reports from BBC and Dawn indicated one crew member was still missing. The discrepancy may reflect the timeline of events, as the second rescue appears to have occurred later.

Iranian officials have raised questions about the US rescue operation. Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, was quoted by TASS as saying the operation "isn't as straightforward as it seems," suggesting the landing site in southern Isfahan was far from where the airman was believed to be hiding, and speculating it could be a cover for an attempt to steal Iran's uranium.

Key Claims

  • Tehran said it had shot down the F-15 warplane, according to multiple sources including Dawn, France 24, and BBC.
  • US media reported that American special forces had rescued one of the two crew members, with the other still missing, as reported by Dawn and France 24.
  • A second US crew member was subsequently rescued, according to BBC, which cited President Trump's social media post confirming the rescue.
  • Iran's military said it downed a US A-10 Warthog aircraft in the Gulf, with the pilot rescued, as reported by Dawn, France 24, and BBC.
  • Iran is offering rewards to anyone who captures the missing crew member alive, according to Iranian state TV, as reported by BBC and Dawn.
  • The war began more than a month ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, leading to the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as reported by Dawn and France 24.

Perspectives

US perspective

The White House has confirmed that President Trump was briefed on the incident. Trump told NBC that the F-15 loss would not affect negotiations with Iran, saying "No, not at all. No, it's war." He later described the rescue of the second crew member as "one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history," according to BBC.

Iranian perspective

Iran's military claims it shot down the F-15 using an advanced air defence system, with a spokesperson saying the jet was "completely obliterated." An Iranian television reporter said anyone capturing a crew member alive would "receive a valuable reward." Iranian officials have also questioned the nature of the US rescue operation, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei suggesting it may have been a cover for other activities.

Independent perspective

The incident highlights the risks of the ongoing conflict, which has already seen the loss of several US aircraft, including a tanker that crashed in Iraq and three F-15s reportedly shot down by friendly fire from Kuwait, according to Dawn and France 24. The downing of the F-15 inside Iran is a significant escalation, underscoring the volatile nature of the war.