Iranian air defenses have downed a US A-10 Warthog attack aircraft during intense aerial combat, with a second F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet also lost. Both pilots ejected over hostile territory, but US forces rescued the A-10 pilot in a high-risk operation. The F-15E pilot remains missing, prompting an urgent search-and-rescue mission across enemy lines.
Details of the Aerial Incidents
Footage from the scene captures the A-10 Warthog exploding mid-air near the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. Iranian forces claim responsibility for both shootdowns, marking the first US aircraft lost to enemy fire since the conflict began 35 days ago. Debris from the $100 million F-15E, including ejection seats, litters the rural, mountainous Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
Local Iranian broadcasts urge residents to hunt for the downed pilots, offering rewards and instructing civilians to shoot at low-flying US rescue aircraft. Videos show tribesmen firing at an HC-130J Combat King II search plane, a KC-130 refueling tanker, and HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters.
US Casualties and Rescue Challenges
Pentagon updates reveal 365 US service members wounded in the war: 247 Army personnel, 63 Navy sailors, 19 Marines, and 36 Air Force airmen. The death toll stands at 13.
A US Black Hawk helicopter took enemy fire during initial rescue efforts but landed safely with its crew intact. Social media clips depict American jets flying low over southern Iran in support of the ongoing operation.
Leadership Responses
President Donald Trump, briefed on the incidents, states the losses will not derail negotiations with Iran. In response to a reporter’s question on potential impacts, he said: “No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war, Garrett.”
Trump’s national security team convenes at the White House, where he receives continuous updates from the Oval Office.
Broader Conflict Escalation
Iran escalates with strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure, including a Kuwaiti desalination plant and oil refinery, plus a gas complex in Abu Dhabi. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims US-Israeli forces destroyed 70% of Iran’s steel production, crippling the regime’s weapons manufacturing and finances.
Netanyahu states: “Together with our American friends, we continue to crush the terror regime in Iran. We are eliminating commanders, bombing bridges, bombing infrastructure. In recent days, the Air Force has destroyed 70% of Iran’s steel production capacity. This is a tremendous achievement that deprives the Revolutionary Guards of both financial sources and the ability to produce a large number of weapons. In full coordination between myself and President Trump, between the IDF and the United States Army, we will continue to crush Iran. This regime is weaker than ever – Israel is stronger than ever.”
Trump vows to end the conflict soon, now in its 35th day.
