American fighter jet shot down over Iran, 1 crew member rescued, U.S. officers say

[ad_1] Washington — A U.S. F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran on Friday, and one crew member from the airplane was later rescued by American forces, U.S. officers confirmed to CBS Information.

The F-15E is flown by a two-member crew, and the seek for the second crew member, a weapons system officer, is continuous, two U.S. officers mentioned.

The jet was shot down by Iranian forces, the officers mentioned, and the fight rescue mission ensued shortly after. An A-10 Warthog was a part of the search and rescue mission when it took fireplace and was broken. The Warthog pilot ejected over the Persian Gulf and was efficiently recovered, based on the officers.

Two helicopters additionally took half within the search and rescue mission and efficiently retrieved the F-15E pilot who had ejected, officers mentioned. The helicopter carrying the recovered pilot was hit by small arms fireplace, wounding crew members on board, based on the officers, who mentioned the helicopter landed safely. All service members are receiving preliminary medical remedy and shall be transported for additional medical care.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard claimed it shot down a U.S. fighter jet over the center of the nation Friday morning. Photographs and video circulating on social media and shared by Iranian state information shops recommended no less than one U.S. C-130 plane and two Black Hawk helicopters had been noticed flying low over central and southwest Iran, in what was described as an effort to find and recuperate the crew.

CBS Information reported earlier this week that the U.S. navy had misplaced no less than 16 MQ-9 Reaper drones over Iran because the battle started, and three U.S. F-15 fighter jets had been shot down over Kuwait in a "pleasant fireplace incident" early within the battle, however there have been no casualties.

The downing of the jet Friday comes after repeated assertions by President Trump, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth and navy commanders of U.S. air superiority that largely disadvantaged Iran of assault capabilities and air defenses in the course of the battle.

"Now in our fifth week of the marketing campaign, it's my operational evaluation that we're making plain progress. We do not see their navy crusing. We do not see their plane flying, and their air and missile protection methods have largely been destroyed," CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said Thursday.

An area affiliate of Iran's state TV channel mentioned Friday a prize being provided for anybody capable of "seize the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police."