An Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iranian airspace, and U.S. forces launched a search-and-rescue operation for the aircrew. Tensions rose after Iranian authorities publicly offered a cash reward to anyone who captured and turned over an escaped U.S. airman.
Multiple U.S. outlets, including CNN, The New York Times and Reuters, reported on April 3 (local time) that U.S. and Israeli officials confirmed an F-15E had been downed inside Iranian territory. The F-15E is a two-seat strike aircraft that carries a pilot and a weapons systems officer. Authorities immediately began search-and-rescue efforts to determine the crew’s condition and location.
CBS News, citing two U.S. officials, reported one crew member had been recovered and that forces were continuing the search for the other. Israel’s Channel 12 reported the same.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident. The White House, the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) have not issued an official statement.
If formally confirmed, the downing would be the first instance in this conflict of a U.S. manned combat aircraft being shot down by Iran.
Earlier, CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper had publicly asserted that Iran’s navy is effectively grounded, its air force unable to operate, and most of its air-defense systems neutralized. A verified shootdown would be a notable reversal of that assessment.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said an IRGC Aerospace Force air-defense system shot down the U.S. warplane over central Iran. IRGC-affiliated Noor News reported the jet was destroyed by the Aerospace Force’s new advanced air-defense system. Iranian outlets released photos and video of wreckage they identified as from an F-15; CNN analyzed the imagery and reported it was consistent with an F-15.
State-affiliated Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad regional broadcaster said it would pay a substantial reward to anyone who captured an escaped pilot and turned them over to police. The provincial governor urged residents to assist in the search and promised a special bounty for a capture. NBC News reported that a representative of an Iranian merchants’ and business group offered about $60,000 (approximately 80 million KRW). Iran’s Fars News Agency quoted a broadcaster saying, "A valuable reward will be given to anyone who captures an enemy pilot."
U.S. forces dispatched multiple Black Hawk helicopters and C-130 Hercules transports to the rescue effort. CNN geolocated videos shared on social media and identified several military aircraft flying at low altitude over Khuzestan province, Iran — activity consistent with search-and-rescue operations. The footage showed one low-flying fixed-wing aircraft trailed by two helicopters. A U.S. air‑force trade outlet identified the helicopters as MH-60G combat-search-and-rescue (CSAR) variants and the fixed-wing platform as an HC-130 or MC-130.
Iranian outlets claimed U.S. rescue attempts failed and released videos of low-flying transports and helicopters. Some reports said the search was for two U.S. aircrew.
The reported shootdown came a day after CENTCOM denied Iran’s earlier claim that it had downed a U.S. F-15, noting that since the start of Operation Epic Fury U.S. forces have flown more than 8,000 combat sorties and that no U.S. manned aircraft had been shot down by Iran.
NBC News noted the U.S. has lost at least 16 MQ-9 Reaper drones over Iran since the start of the war. Early in the conflict, three U.S. F-15s crashed over Kuwait due to friendly-fire incidents. If Iran is confirmed to have shot down a manned U.S. fighter, it would be the first such case.
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