TEL AVIV, Israel – U.S. Military Searches for Missing Pilot After Jet Downed in Iran
The U.S. military is actively searching for a pilot who went missing in southwestern Iran after an American fighter jet was shot down by Iran. The Iranian government has urged its citizens to assist in locating the pilot, offering a reward for their help.
The downed aircraft, identified by Iran as a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle, was one of two jets targeted on Friday. While one servicemember was rescued, the fate of at least one other remains uncertain. This incident marks the first loss of an aircraft on Iranian soil since the war’s onset six weeks ago and could represent a significant shift in the ongoing conflict.
The conflict, which erupted on February 28 between the U.S. and Israel, has resulted in thousands of fatalities, disrupted global markets, and increased fuel prices, with no signs of resolution as Iran retaliates against U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.
Missile and drone attacks persisted on Saturday, including an assault believed to be from an Iranian drone that inflicted damage on Oracle’s headquarters in Dubai. The Israeli military also reported that Iran had fired a missile toward Israel.
This military event occurred just two days after President Donald Trump claimed in a national address that the U.S. had “defeated Iran and completely annihilated it,” pledging to quickly conclude military actions. Recently, U.S. and Israeli officials had asserted that Iran’s air defenses were neutralized.
On the same day, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization reported that an airstrike near the Bushehr nuclear facility resulted in the death of a security guard, marking the fourth attack on the site since the conflict began.
The pilot search is currently concentrated in the Kogilye and Boye Ahmad mountainous regions of southwestern Iran. The White House and the Pentagon have not provided additional information regarding the downed aircraft.
In a Pentagon email obtained by The Associated Press, military officials confirmed that an aircraft had been shot down in the Middle East but offered no further details. While the American crew members of the downed plane were rescued, the second servicemember’s status remains unknown, prompting ongoing search and rescue actions.
In a brief conversation with NBC News, Trump avoided commenting on the search operations but asserted that the situation would not impact negotiations with Iran.
Iranian state media separately reported that an A-10 attack jet from the U.S. crashed into the Persian Gulf due to an assault from Iranian defense forces. A U.S. official, speaking confidentially, noted that it was unclear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down, and the crew’s whereabouts were not immediately confirmed.
Enhancing tensions, an anchor on a television station associated with Iran’s state network called for citizens to deliver the “enemy pilot” to the police. Throughout the conflict, Iran has made numerous claims regarding downed enemy planes, most of which have not been substantiated. Friday marked the first occasion that Iranians were urged to locate the downed pilot.
In a social media post, Iranian state media proclaimed that the U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle was downed, a model that includes a pilot and a weapons systems officer.
On a related note, a drone attack—reportedly Iranian—damaged Oracle’s Dubai headquarters after threats were issued against the company. The incident occurred along Sheikh Zayed Road, a key route in Dubai, and was described by Dubai Media Office as a “minor accident” caused by debris, with no reported injuries.
Additionally, Iranian drone strikes have previously targeted Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE and Bahrain. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf hinted at potential disruptions to maritime traffic in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway in global trade.
The Strait is significant, with substantial portions of the world’s oil and gas transported through it. Iran has already caused considerable disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, raising fuel prices and unsettling the global economy. Leaders around the world are working to address Iran’s influence over these critical shipping routes as discussions at the U.N. Security Council are anticipated.
President Trump has expressed mixed views on U.S. involvement in protecting the strait, threatening repercussions against Iran while telling other nations to “get the oil themselves.” He suggested that if given more time, the U.S. could secure the Strait of Hormuz for oil shipments.
Since the outset of the war, over 1,900 people have died in Iran. Reports indicate civilian casualties have mainly stemmed from attacks on security-related targets, rather than indiscriminate strikes on urban areas. In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, more than 20 fatalities have been tallied, alongside 19 deaths in Israel and 13 among U.S. service members. In Lebanon, over 1,300 people have died, including ten Israeli soldiers.
