S Warplanes Crash in Gulf Region as Iran Conflict Escalates
By Web Desk :
Two United States Air Force combat aircraft were reported lost in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, according to US media reports, as tensions between Washington and Tehran intensified.
The New York Times, citing two US officials, reported that an A-10 Warthog attack aircraft crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. The lone pilot was safely rescued following the incident.
The crash occurred around the same time another US aircraft a two-seat F-15E fighter jet was reportedly shot down over Iran, according to officials quoted by international media. Search efforts were launched for the crew after the aircraft went down.
Reuters reported that US authorities had begun a search-and-rescue operation following the incident. Iranian state media said Revolutionary Guard forces were searching an area in southwestern Iran where the aircraft was believed to have crashed.
Local authorities in Iran’s Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province urged residents to report or capture the pilot, with a provincial official promising a reward for anyone who handed over the airman to security forces.
Iranian media outlets also reported that US helicopters were seen flying low in the area during search missions, with some footage appearing to show residents firing towards the aircraft. Separate reports from Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency claimed that one US helicopter involved in the rescue effort was struck by a projectile, although details about possible damage or casualties were not immediately confirmed.
Confusion also surrounded the type of aircraft involved. Earlier Iranian military statements suggested the downed jet was an F-35, while other early assessments based on images from the crash site indicated it was more likely an F-15.
US officials have not publicly confirmed the incidents. The Pentagon and US Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Israeli and US media outlets later reported that one crew member from the downed aircraft had been rescued, citing US officials. The White House said President Donald Trump had been briefed on the situation.
If confirmed, the downing of the fighter jet would mark the first known instance during the current conflict in which Iranian forces successfully brought down a US warplane.
The reports emerged as the conflict in the region continued to intensify, with fresh strikes reported across Iran, Israel and parts of the Gulf. Explosions were heard in northern Tehran on Friday afternoon, according to journalists on the ground, although it was not immediately clear what had been targeted.
The war began more than a month ago following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, triggering retaliatory attacks that have since expanded across the Middle East and raised concerns about wider economic and security consequences.
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