AJ
Iranian media began to publish reports that an American F15E fighter jet had been shot down, initially showing what appeared to be the tail fin of an F-15E Strike Eagle belonging to the 494th Fighter Squadron ‘LN’ based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, as debris from the tail fin confirmed the downing, but initial reports of the pilots whereabouts were unknown.
Later footage circulated showing American Hercules aircraft and Black Hawk helicopters over southwest Iran on a search and rescue mission for the missing pilots, while Iranian state media Tasnim News and Fars News Agency offered rewards, as well as the IRGC a short while later, for the capture of the pilots alive.
As helicopters and aircraft conducted refueling in order to continue their search and rescue mission, reports from Tasnim News suggested that clashes had taken place in the villages near where the operations were taking place, but these reports couldn’t be confirmed.
At least 6 KC-135R Stratotankers in addition to at least one KC-46A Pegasus refuelling aircraft were flying over Jordan, northeastern Saudi Arabia and Iraq, signalling a significant aerial presence for the search and rescue mission that was ongoing.
Operations continued in two areas of Iran, Khegeluyeh and Bueir Ahmad, as well as in Bushehr (Dallam district), reported Sabereen News, noting that airdrops had been carried out, and very intense clashes had erupted between US forces and the ground forces of the Revolutionary Guard, while an helicopter had also been confirmed as being shot down.
F-35 jets and MQ-9 drones soon joined the ongoing search for the missing pilots, offering protection to those aircraft performing the low-flying searches.
Media reports suggested that another American refuelling plane that was due to take part in the operation had suffered a malfunction shortly after take-off from Ben Gurion Airport, forcing it to request an emergency landing.
Tasnim News later reported the shooting down of another American plane that was taking part in the search and rescue operations.
As Axios’ Barak Ravid had just reported about the shooting down of the fighter jet, and confirming the search and rescue was underway for two crew members, Tasnim News reported that the search and rescue operation was called off after a Black Hawk was targeted by one of the air defence systems, causing it to leave the area, adding that the US failed to extract the pilots of the downed fighter jet inside Iranian territory.
