A United States fighter jet was shot down in Iranian territory, according to three American sources, confirming information from the country’s state media.
Here’s what is known:
- Iranian claims: Iranian state media on Friday released photos of what it said was the wreckage of a US Air Force fighter jet shot down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- About the jet: Iranian reports said the plane was an F-35, but analysis of the CNN of the published images suggests that it was probably an F‑15.
- Crew status: US sources said the jet was shot down over Iran and that possible rescue efforts appeared in social media videos geotagged by CNN. Iran has been unsuccessful in its search for the missing crew, state news agency Tasnim reported. The Fars News agency stated that a reward is being offered to anyone who captures an “enemy pilot or pilots”.
- Incident location: It is not yet clear in which region of Iran the jet crashed. The Pentagon and White House have not commented on the situation or the status of the crew.
- A rescued pilot: A pilot has been rescued from an American fighter jet shot down over Iran, according to three sources familiar with the case. He is alive, in US custody and receiving medical treatment. The status of the second crew member is still unclear. Search and rescue operations continue after the F‑15E jet was shot down.
