Iranian media has announced that national forces have shot down a US fighter jet, and a US search and rescue effort is is active over Iran in an effort to locate two crew.
Israeli media as well as Axios are also reporting it, with emerging photos and videos suggesting it is an F-15 fighter jet. “Iranian state media published pictures and videos that allegedly show parts of the downed plane and one of the ejection seats,” Axios writes. Photos initially released via state Fars:
BIG: Iranian state media released images of debris from a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet.
Iran initially claimed it had shot down an F-35, but the wreckage shown clearly matches an F-15E. pic.twitter.com/JMQvv0h2yo
— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 3, 2026
There are also emerging reports that Iran may have captured one of the pilots, while separately Israel’s N12 reports that the US has sent “large forces” to rescue the crew. Presumably this is an aerial mission, including spotter aircraft and helicopters – leading to potential greater exposure to ground fire.
It is possible that US Special Forces operators could also be involved in the rescue mission, but CENTCOM within the opening hours of the incident has not confirm anything.
A McDonnell-Douglas ACES II (Advanced Concept Ejection Seat) from a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle has been found by residents in Southern Iran, the whereabouts or status of the pilot and weapons officer is currently unknown:
DropSite News, which maintains sources inside Iran, writes the following:
An Iranian official told Drop Site News that a U.S. F-15 warplane struck by Iranian forces went down over southern Tehran Province, with intense fire reported at the crash site. The official said the nature of the strike prevented the pilot[s] from ejecting before the aircraft crashed. No remains have been found.
There have been images and footage also circulating showing very low flights by potential US military spotter aircraft, likely looking for surviving crew of the F-15.
A US Air Force HC-130J “Combat King II” Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Aircraft seen flying extremely low over the countryside of Southern Iran.
A U.S. Air Force HC-130J “Combat King II” Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Aircraft seen flying extremely low over the countryside of Southern Iran, as the search continues for the crew of a downed American F-15E Strike Eagle. pic.twitter.com/vQL7umqmYy
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 3, 2026
Evidence of low-flying helicopters deployed as part of the recovery efforts…
Crazy, scenes from the ongoing US search operation in the Dehdasht area of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, southwest Iran. pic.twitter.com/Leksyki4Xu
— War Flash (@WarFlash_2630) April 3, 2026
After more than a month of Trump’s Operation Epic Fury, the Pentagon has lost a slew of aircraft, including heavy refueling tankers, drones, and even three F-15s downed over Kuwait (which CENTCOM claimed was a ‘friendly fire’ incident). A stealth F-35 was also damaged, resulting in an emergency landing in a Middle East country.
Neither the US military nor the White House have immediately respond to requests for comment.
