Two US military jets came down in separate incidents after being hit by fire from Iran, deepening an already dangerous confrontation and triggering an urgent search for a missing American pilot. US and Iranian officials said rescue teams recovered two pilots, while a third remains unaccounted for.
The incidents have increased pressure on Washington because they appear to undercut claims by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that US forces control the skies over Iran. At the same time, the search for the missing pilot has turned into a new flashpoint in a conflict now entering its sixth week.
F-15 crew separated after one of the US jets went down over Iran
The first aircraft, which Reuters identified as an F-15E, went down over Iran. US Rescue teams recovered one crew member, while the other remains missing, prompting an urgent search by US forces and Iranian personnel on the ground.
Reuters said Iranian officials urged civilians to look for survivors and circulated images they claimed showed wreckage from the aircraft. That has sharply raised the stakes for the White House, as a US service member may still be alive and trying to avoid capture inside Iran.
A-10 crashed in Kuwait after coming under fire
In a separate incident, an A-10 Warthog came under Iranian fire and later crashed in Kuwait, according to US officials cited by Reuters. The pilot ejected safely and rescue teams recovered him. Reuters also said two Black Hawk helicopters joined the broader rescue effort, came under Iranian fire, and still managed to leave Iranian airspace.
Together, the two aircraft losses underscore the continuing risks facing US operations near Iran, despite repeated public assurances from Washington that Iranian air defenses and military capabilities had been severely weakened.
Trump declines to outline US response
Trump told The Independent that he could not say how he would respond if Iranian forces reached the missing pilot first or harmed him. “We hope that’s not going to happen,” he said, according to the newspaper.
That uncertainty has intensified attention on the rescue effort, with the fate of the missing pilot now at the center of a broader military and political test for the Trump administration.
Iran celebrates downing of US jets as tensions rise
Iranian officials and supporters have celebrated the downing of the US aircraft, presenting the incidents as proof that Tehran can still inflict losses despite weeks of American and Israeli strikes.
Reuters also reported that Iran has left the door open to possible peace talks, even as the search for the missing pilot continues and military pressure remains high.
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