A United States F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran, with one crew member still unaccounted for, amidst an intensifying five-week conflict in the region. The incident occurred near Behbahan, approximately 30 miles from Iran's Gulf coast, and has prompted a suspected combat search and rescue operation involving specialist helicopters.
Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the status of the F-15E crew. A social media account, reportedly linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, circulated an image of an ejector seat consistent with those used in F-15Es, suggesting at least one aircrew member may have ejected safely. Iran's Tasnim news agency later reported that the jet's pilot had been apprehended, contradicting an earlier claim from Tehran that the pilot likely died. An Iranian television channel appealed to residents to hand over any "enemy pilot" to authorities, offering a reward.
In a separate but concurrent incident, a second US Air Force combat aircraft, an A-10 Warthog attack plane, crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. Its lone pilot was safely rescued. Iranian state media claimed its air defense system had targeted an "enemy" A-10 aircraft in southern waters near the strait.
These incidents mark a significant escalation in a conflict that has already claimed the lives of 13 American service personnel and wounded 300 others. The US military has conducted extensive bombing campaigns, striking over 12,300 targets in Iran. Prior to these recent events, no US fighter jets had been lost over Iranian territory during the current conflict, though three F-15Es were destroyed in a friendly fire incident involving a Kuwaiti air defense system on March 1. The estimated cost of lost and damaged US aircraft during the conflict now exceeds $3 billion.
US President Donald Trump declined to comment on the ongoing search and rescue mission, stating, "No, it's war. We're in war," and affirmed the incident would not impact negotiations with Iran. He reiterated threats to bomb Iran's infrastructure, including bridges and electricity networks, and claimed responsibility for a recent attack on a suspension bridge between Tehran and Karaj that resulted in eight fatalities and 95 injuries. The Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, publicly derided the US strategy on social media.
Concerns about the conduct of US forces and official statements have been raised by over 100 international law experts. In a joint statement, they cited "serious concerns about violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including potential war crimes," specifically highlighting US threats against Iran's energy infrastructure.
Regionally, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported that Tehran rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire. Further complicating the regional landscape, a power and desalination plant in Kuwait was damaged in an attack, which Iran attributed to Israel. Separately, the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery in Kuwait was shut down following a drone strike originating from Iran, prompting the UK to dispatch a counter-drone team to assist Kuwaiti defenses.