The search for the pilot of a US fighter jet that crashed over Iran entered its second day on Saturday, with Iranian officials denying reports that the US crew member had been arrested.
American forces rescued the pilot of a two-seater F-15E Strike Eagle shot down on Iran on Friday, according to a US official. The second crew member is still missing.
On Saturday, local Iranian officials – from one of the country’s southern provinces – and the regional leadership of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps denied reports that the second pilot had been found and arrested, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported. Iranian officials made a public appeal Friday for locals to locate the American crew member, offering a reward equivalent to $60,000, according to Iranian official and semi-official news agencies.
The loss of the U.S. plane marks the first time a U.S. fighter jet has been shot down in combat in decades. This also calls into question Pentagon and White House claims that thousands of American and Israeli strikes have destroyed Iran’s ballistic capabilities.
Iranian firepower also hit a U.S. aircraft sent to support the search and rescue mission. That plane — a single-seat A-10 Thunderbolt, known as the Warthog — crashed in Kuwaiti airspace after its pilot ejected safely, a U.S. official told NBC News. US military helicopters were also hit by Iranian firepower, but no crew members were injured in the attack.
Iranian media published images on Telegram showing debris from the downed F-15E. The Pentagon has not confirmed the loss of the plane.
In a brief phone call Friday, President Trump declined to discuss details of the rescue operation. Asked whether the downing of the plane would have a negative impact on negotiations to end the war, the president replied: “No, not at all. No, it’s war.”
Trump has not publicly commented on the downed plane. On Saturday, however, he appeared to remind Iran of a looming deadline to respond to U.S. demands, which he posted last week on Truth Social.
“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to make a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote. “Time is running out – 48 hours before hell reigns over them.” He also made distinct references to the Strait of Hormuz, a key Middle East waterway for global oil exports.
The incident brought renewed attention on Trump’s repeated claims that the American and Israeli militaries have destroyed Iran’s missile capabilities and have total control of Iranian airspace. Iranian officials appeared to directly acknowledge the challenge on Saturday.
“The enemy should know that we have advanced air defense systems developed by the talented and distinguished youth of this country, which are being unveiled one after another in real operational conditions,” an Iranian military spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday. “We will certainly gain full control of our skies and further demonstrate to the world the weakness and humiliation of the enemy.”
Trump said in a nationally televised speech Wednesday that the war would end in about two to three weeks, while threatening to return Iran “to the Stone Age” if he did not open the Strait of Hormuz. The US military simultaneously mobilized thousands of additional troops to the region.
Iran says there are no direct negotiations with their American counterparts. The United States and Israel also wiped out much of Iran’s government and military leadership, including Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – raising questions about who would lead the negotiations on Iran’s behalf.
The war entered its 36th day on Saturday. More than a dozen American service members have been killed since American and Israeli forces launched joint strikes against Iran.
