One of the two U.S. crew members of a U.S. fighter jet that was shot down over Iran was rescued by U.S. forces, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Hill on Friday.
A search and rescue is underway for the other service member, whose status is unclear. Both crew members ejected from the aircraft.
Iran’s armed forces shot down what appeared to be a U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter plane, Iranian state media reported, in what would be the first time that Tehran downed an American jet since the war broke out five weeks ago.
The U.S. Central Command, which oversees the U.S. military’s actions in the region, did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
Iranian state media released photos purportedly showing parts of the plane, indicating it was a U.S. F-15 fighter jet.
Tasnim News Agency, the semiofficial news outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that the U.S. sent out a C-130 Hercules plane and Black Hawk helicopters to look for the crew.
Last week, an Iranian missile struck a base in Saudi Arabia, destroying a U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry, an early warning and control aircraft, which costs about $300 million.
Kuwait “mistakenly” downed three U.S. F-15 fighter jets in early March, the U.S. military said at the time.
Updated at 1:04 p.m. EDT
