A U.S. fighter jet was shot down while flying over Iran on Friday, and the U.S. military has launched a major search and rescue operation.
U.S. officials confirmed that an aircraft was shot down over Iran and that a search and rescue operation had begun, according to multiple reports. The confirmation came after Iranian state media said early Friday morning that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down a U.S. F-15 fighter jet over the Southern Tehran Province. The regime-controlled media also published photos online appearing to show parts of a jet.
Israeli journalist Amit Segal reported that the United States has activated “large forces” as part of a search and rescue operation. According to multiple reports, at least one of the two American pilots has been rescued. The F-15E jet that was shot down is a two-seat fighter that can carry air-to-surface weapons.
President Donald Trump was briefed on the ongoing situation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Daily Wire Friday morning.
The Daily Wire also reached out to the War Department and Central Command, seeking comment on the reports of the downed U.S. fighter jet.
An Iranian state broadcaster told residents of the province to capture the “enemy’s pilot or pilots” and hand them over to Iranian forces for a reward, The New York Times reported.
CENTCOM has recently refuted multiple claims that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down U.S. aircraft. On Thursday, CENTCOM said the Iranian forces have made false claims about shooting down U.S. aircraft “at least half a dozen times.” As of Friday morning, however, CENTCOM has not addressed the latest reports of an F-15 fighter jet being shot down over the Southern Tehran Province.
If the reports are confirmed, it would mark the first time a U.S. fighter jet was shot down by Iran since President Donald Trump launched “Operation Epic Fury.”
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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