An F-15E fighter and an A-10 attack plane were downed in two separate incidents on Friday, media reports say
Published 4 Apr, 2026 11:15
| Updated 4 Apr, 2026 12:20
F-15 fighter jet in flight over the clouds at sunset. © Getty Images/Miragest
Two US military aircraft were shot down by Iranian fire on Friday, as the US and Israel continue their strikes on the Islamic Republic. The incident has set off a high-risk search-and-rescue mission deep inside Iranian territory, US media outlets report.
The losses occurred less than 48 hours after US President Donald Trump announced that Iran is “beaten and completely decimated” and has “no anti-aircraft equipment,” ramping up the stakes for the conflict, which is already unpopular at home. Iranian officials, meanwhile, have called the incident a “black day” for the US military, with Tehran scrambling to apprehend the crew members.
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Here is what we know so far.
What happened?
On Friday, a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron – part of the 48th Fighter Wing, normally based in Suffolk, England – was shot down over central Iran while conducting combat operations, according to US media outlets.
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Both crew members – a pilot and a weapons systems officer – successfully ejected, with US special forces managing to rescue one of them alive within Iran.
The search for the second one continues. NBC News reported, citing sources, that US helicopters dispatched to rescue the person were hit by Iranian fire. According to the Washington Post, US personnel on board were injured, but both aircraft safely returned to their base.
Videos circulating on social media show what appears to be Iranian militia opening small arms fire on two US helicopters.
Footage of Iranian police firing small arms at a pair of USAF HH-60Ws searching for the downed F-15E crew earlier today. pic.twitter.com/9SwhyhY1Aw
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 3, 2026
In addition, an A-10 Thunderbolt II – a single-seat ground-attack aircraft – was struck by Iranian fire while supporting search-and-rescue efforts. The pilot managed to navigate the damaged plane out of Iranian airspace before ejecting over Kuwait, where he was subsequently recovered.
🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷 Alleged footage shows U.S. A-10 hit by Iranian air defenses.The A-10 was literally built to survive anti-aircraft fire. If Iran is bringing down the most survivable plane in the fleet, their air defenses aren't as "decimated" as advertised.pic.twitter.com/SWUWGgSdWihttps://t.co/ZXRdXKgnNT
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 3, 2026
What does the US say?
The Pentagon and CENTCOM have yet to respond to requests from US media outlets to comment. The Pentagon, however, notified the House Armed Services Committee of the loss of the F-15E, according to The Hill.
Trump said the downing of the jet won’t affect peace negotiations with Iran – which Tehran insists are not taking place at all.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he is “praying for the safe return of the crew aboard the fighter jet and all of those working to rescue them in these dangerous conditions.”
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Former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney told ABC News that the US was sure to lose some aircraft over enemy territory at some point, but said the development is “disturbing.”
“It potentially represents a major escalation. If the missing crew member remains missing, huge political pressure in the United States to do anything to find that person.”
What does Iran say?
Iranian media initially identified the downed aircraft as an F-35 stealth fighter, though the claim was later refuted by US media and OSINT experts.
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The Iranian military claimed that, on top of the two aircraft, they downed five drones and missiles, describing it as a “black day” for the US and Israel. Tehran also stated that a “new advanced” air defense system was used to destroy the aircraft, adding that it shows that its forces still have fighting capability.
Iranian state TV has called on people to capture the surviving US crew, with the local authorities offering a reward of around $60,000 for anyone who hands over the American service members alive.
Bakhtiari tribes in Khuzestan headed into the mountains, rifles in hand, searching for the missing American F-15 jet pilot — saying: “Don’t worry, we’ll find him.” pic.twitter.com/PH7pWWjbiQ
— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 3, 2026
Footage circulating on social media shows what appears to be a group of local residents armed with rifles and carrying an Iranian flag heading out to the mountains for their own ‘rescue mission’, with another clip showing the aircraft debris.
Iran Publishes Debris It Says Is US F‑15E Strike Eagle Downed Over Iran State media released images of wreckage, including a tail section linked to the USAF’s 494th Fighter Squadron, after claiming Iranian air defenses shot down a U.S. fighter jet; U.S. officials have not yet… pic.twitter.com/nmIgl0WhXr
— Washington Eye (@washington_EY) April 3, 2026
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf mocked the US, saying that “after defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?’”
Iranian media has also shared photos of a heavily damaged CH-47 helicopter in Kuwait, saying it was hit in a drone strike.
BREAKING: An Iranian drone struck a US Army CH-47 Chinook at Camp Buehring in Kuwait, severely damaging the aircraft. The Chinook is the US military’s primary heavy-lift helicopter, used to move troops, equipment and supplies across the Gulf. pic.twitter.com/Tmm6CiNX8e
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) April 4, 2026
Did the US lose planes in the Iran war before this incident?
Friday marked the first time during the US-Israeli strikes on Iran that Tehran has beyond reasonable doubt downed a manned US aircraft. However, America had already lost several jets.
© EGYOSINT / Screenshot
On March 1, shortly after the start of the conflict, three F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait by Kuwaiti F/A-18 aircraft in what CENTCOM called an “apparent friendly fire incident.” All crew members ejected safely.
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Did Kuwait really shoot down three US F-15s?
On March 12, two KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft were involved in a midair collision over western Iraq. One of the planes crashed, killing all six crew members aboard. CENTCOM confirmed that “this was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”
On March 19, a US F-35 fighter jet was hit by Iranian ground fire during a combat mission. The pilot, who suffered shrapnel wounds, managed to land the aircraft at a US air base in the region.
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On March 27, an Iranian strike on a Saudi Arabia air base destroyed an E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control aircraft, with photos showing the plane, which costs up to $500 million, split in two.