24 hours later, US pilot remains missing after jet downed by Iran

A US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over southern Iran on Friday, raising questions over the fate of its crew and the status of ongoing rescue efforts.

Reports indicate that one of the two crew members, typically a pilot and a weapons systems officer, has been successfully rescued by US forces. However, the condition and whereabouts of the second crew member remain unknown.

During the rescue operation, a US helicopter evacuating the recovered pilot came under small arms fire, reportedly injuring crew members before landing safely. Iranian authorities attributed the gunfire to local nomadic tribes.

Separately, a US A-10 Warthog aircraft involved in the search-and-rescue mission was also hit and damaged. Its pilot was later rescued safely, according to CBS News. Iran has claimed it shot down an American A-10, though it remains unclear whether this refers to the same aircraft.

Iranian officials said newly deployed air defense systems were responsible for downing the F-15E. State media also reported that authorities are offering a financial reward of approximately $66,000 for the capture of any remaining crew member.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) praised local tribes for targeting the helicopters in rugged terrain far from Iranian military bases. According to the IRGC, tribes from Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad and Bakhtiari provinces acted independently to strike the aircraft attempting to rescue the F-35 pilots. The statement described the tribes’ actions as a demonstration of Iran’s strength on the battlefield and deep within national territory, calling the response a “blow to armed and arrogant aggressors.”

The United States has yet to issue an official statement on the incident, with information so far coming from unnamed officials cited in media reports. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has not publicly commented.