In a major escalation in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict,two American military aircraft, an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet and an A-10 attack aircraft, were shot down in separate incidents on Friday, 3rd April, marking the first such losses since the war began nearly five weeks ago.
The fighter jet was shot down inside Iran, according to officials. One crew member was rescued, but another remains missing, and a U.S. search-and-rescue mission is going on. The Pentagon has informed the House Armed Services Committee that the second service member’s status is still unknown. Reports also suggested that at least one pilot had ejected, with Iranian state-linked media even urging locals to report any “enemy pilot.”
In a separate incident, Iranian state media said an A-10 aircraft was hit by Iranian defence systems and crashed into the Persian Gulf. However, a U.S. official said it is still not clear whether the aircraft was shot down or crashed, and there is no confirmed information yet about the crew or the exact crash location.
Despite the seriousness, neither the White House nor the Pentagon has shared detailed public information. In a brief phone interview with NBC News, President Donald Trump refused to discuss the rescue operation but said the incident would not affect talks with Iran, adding, “No, not at all. No, it’s war.”
The development comes just two days after Trump said the U.S. had “completely decimated” Iran and would finish the war quickly. At the same time, Iran continued firing at targets across the Middle East, including areas linked to Israel and Gulf countries.
An internal Pentagon message accessed by The Associated Press confirmed it had received reports of an aircraft being shot down in the region, though without details.
Iran’s actions near the Strait of Hormuz have also shaken global markets, pushing oil prices higher and raising concerns about rising costs of daily goods.
