Iran Shoots Down U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle, Kills One From Iran Rescue Team
Key Takeaways
- Iran shot down a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle over Iranian airspace.
- One crew member rescued alive; second crew member missing, search-and-rescue ongoing.
- First U.S. fighter jet downed by Iran in over two decades.
Iran Downs F-15E, Marks First US Combat Loss
Iran shot down a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle, marking the first American warplane lost to enemy fire since 2003.
Both crew members ejected; one was rescued and the second remained missing.
The shooting occurred five weeks into the US-Israeli "Operation Epic Fury" campaign that had targeted more than 12,300 Iranian sites.
The downing represented a significant shift in the tit-for-tat air war that had mostly killed Iranian civilians before.
Iran Also Downed A-10, Israel Confirmed
Iran also struck down a U.S. A-10 Warthog, with the pilot rescued.
The A-10 was the first American aircraft lost in the conflict since US-Israeli strikes began.
Trump announced Iran would be bombed "very hard" for two to three more weeks.
Rescue Efforts, Tensions Escalate
Search-and-rescue operations became contested zones as Iranian forces seized two drone operators.
They also captured an American rescue swimmer retrieved from the Gulf.
The downing of aircraft came just days after Trump asserted Iran had been "completely decimated."
Congress Questions Legality of War
Congressional Democrats moved to block funding for the war.
Polling showed American support had dropped from 57% to 23% in four weeks.
The Atlantic Council described the campaign as a high-risk gamble with unclear objectives.
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