Trending Now - U.S. F-15 Fighter Jet Downed by Iran; Search for Pilots Underway

WHO:

NBC News - U.S. officials confirmed that the downed aircraft is an F-15E fighter jet.

NY Post - Iranian state media claimed that a bounty has been placed on an allegedly missing American pilot who Tehran claims ejected from the fighter jet over Iran.

NBC News - Iranian authorities are offering a financial reward for anyone who captures the American aircrew, stating it is a priority for them to take the crew into custody.

Fox News - The F-15 is a two-seat aircraft, and the whereabouts of the pilot and weapons systems officer on board are not yet known.

CNN - The U.S. military and the White House have not commented on the situation or the status of the crew.

NBC News - Iranian authorities are offering a financial reward for anyone who captures the American aircrew, emphasizing the priority of taking them into custody.

CNN - White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Trump has been briefed on the situation.

Fox News - President Donald Trump has been briefed on the downed F-15 fighter jet.

NBC News - Two U.S. officials confirmed the incident involving the F-15 fighter jet.

CNN - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for shooting down the jet.

WHAT:

Fox News - The F-15E fighter jet is confirmed to be from the 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath.

CNN - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) initially misidentified the downed aircraft as an F-35 Lightning II before confirming it as an F-15E.

NBC News - The search for the missing pilot of the F-15E jet downed by Iran stretched into the night on April 3rd, 2026.

NY Post - The co-pilot was rescued during a search-and-rescue mission that involved other U.S. aircraft being targeted.

CNN - Iranian state media released photos on April 4th, 2026, of what it claims is the wreckage of the F-15, showing identifiable features such as a partial logo for “US Air Forces in Europe” and specific tail markings.

NBC News - The search for the crew of the F-15 fighter jet is ongoing, with reports indicating that the co-pilot has been rescued while the search for the pilot continues.

Fox News - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and state media claimed to have shot down a U.S. fighter jet over central Iran, specifically in the mountainous Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

CNN - The state-run Tasnim agency reported that the search for any missing crew has “so far been unsuccessful.”

CNN - Iranian state media released photos on April 3rd, 2026, of what it claimed was the wreckage of a U.S. fighter jet, showing identifiable features of an F-15.

CNN - The incident marks the first time a U.S. aircraft has been shot down over Iran during the conflict, following a friendly fire incident at the beginning of the war.

NBC News - The search for the crew of the F-15 fighter jet is ongoing, with reports indicating that the co-pilot has been rescued while the search for the pilot continues.

NY Post - The search for the missing pilot of the F-15E jet downed by Iran stretched into the night on April 3rd, 2026.

CNN - Iranian state media released photos on April 3rd, 2026, of what it claims is the wreckage of the F-15, showing identifiable features such as a partial logo for “US Air Forces in Europe” and specific tail markings.

CNN - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have shot down a U.S. fighter jet, initially misidentified as an F-35 Lightning II, but later confirmed to be an F-15E.

CNN - Iranian state media released photos on April 1st, 2026, of what it claimed was the wreckage of a U.S. fighter jet, showing identifiable features of an F-15.

NBC News - Iranian authorities are offering a financial reward for anyone who captures the American aircrew, emphasizing the priority of taking them into custody.

CNN - Iranian state media released photos of what it claims is the wreckage of the F-15, showing identifiable features such as a partial logo for “US Air Forces in Europe” and specific tail markings.

CNN - The state-run Tasnim agency reported that the search for any missing crew has “so far been unsuccessful.”

Fox News - The downed aircraft is confirmed to be an F-15E Strike Eagle, marking the first known loss of U.S. aircraft since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28th, 2026.

NBC News - Iranian authorities are offering a financial reward for anyone who captures the American aircrew, emphasizing the priority of taking them into custody.

CNN - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have shot down a U.S. fighter jet, initially misidentified as an F-35 Lightning II, but later confirmed to be an F-15E.

ABC News - An American fighter jet appears to have been shot down by Iran.

Fox News - The downed aircraft is reported to be an F-15E Strike Eagle, likely from the 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath.

CNN - Iranian state media reported that the search for any missing crew has been unsuccessful.

NBC News - A search and rescue mission is underway for the crew of the F-15 fighter jet.

WHERE:

CNN - The wreckage was geolocated to be around 470 km south of Tehran, in the mountainous Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

Fox News - The jet went down over central Iran, specifically in the mountainous Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

CNN - Video showed military aircraft flying over Khuzestan Province in central Iran.

CNN - The wreckage was geolocated to be around 470 km south of Tehran.

WHEN:

Fox News - President Trump stated, "We are in this military operation … for 32 days," during an address on April 1st, 2026.

NY Post - The co-pilot was rescued on April 3rd, 2026, during a search-and-rescue mission.

Fox News - President Trump stated, "We are in this military operation … for 32 days," during an address on April 1st, 2026.

CNN - The incident marks the first time a U.S. aircraft has been shot down over Iran during the conflict, following a friendly fire incident at the beginning of the war.

Fox News - The incident occurred during the ongoing conflict known as Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28th, 2026.

CNN - The search and rescue operations were reported on April 3rd, 2026.

CNN - President Trump made statements regarding the situation on April 1st, 2026.

WHY:

Fox News - U.S. officials have claimed that the U.S. and Israel have "complete control over Iranian skies," suggesting a belief in the ineffectiveness of Iranian air defenses.

Fox News - U.S. officials for weeks have insisted the U.S. and Israel have "complete control over Iranian skies," and recently sent B-52 bombers into Iran, underscoring their confidence in the ineffectiveness of Iranian air defenses.

Fox News - U.S. officials had previously claimed that the U.S. and Israel had "complete control over Iranian skies," suggesting a belief in the ineffectiveness of Iranian air defenses.

HOW:

CNN - Video geolocated by CNN showed multiple low-flying military aircraft over Khuzestan Province as part of the search and rescue operation.

CNN - Video geolocated by CNN showed multiple low-flying military aircraft over Khuzestan Province as part of the search and rescue operation, with one airplane flying low while two helicopters followed closely behind.

NY Post - The rescue operation for the co-pilot involved other U.S. aircraft that were targeted during the mission.

Fox News - Local footage showed HC-130s and HH-60 Black Hawks flying low over Iranian territory as part of the search for the crew.

CNN - Iranian state media released photos of the wreckage, which included identifiable features of an F-15, such as a partial logo for “US Air Forces in Europe” and specific tail markings.

(UPDATED April 4, 2026 15:03 UTC)

The F-15E fighter jet downed by Iran has been confirmed to belong to the 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath, with the wreckage located about 470 kilometers south of Tehran in the mountainous Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. The search for the missing pilot continued into the night on Friday, while the co-pilot was successfully rescued during a mission that involved other U.S. aircraft being targeted. President Trump stated on Wednesday that the military operation has been ongoing for 32 days, and U.S. officials have expressed confidence in having complete control over Iranian skies, indicating doubts about the effectiveness of Iranian air defenses.

(UPDATED April 4, 2026 11:02 UTC)

U.S. officials have confirmed that the downed aircraft is an F-15E fighter jet, with Iranian state media releasing photos of the wreckage that show identifiable features like a partial logo for “US Air Forces in Europe.” The search for the crew is ongoing, and while reports indicate that the co-pilot has been rescued, efforts continue to locate the pilot. President Trump mentioned in an address on Wednesday that the military operation has been underway for 32 days, as video footage shows multiple low-flying military aircraft conducting search and rescue operations over Khuzestan Province.

(UPDATED April 4, 2026 05:19 UTC)

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed responsibility for shooting down a U.S. fighter jet over central Iran's Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, marking the first time a U.S. aircraft has been downed in the region during the ongoing conflict. Iranian state media released photos on Friday showing what they assert is the wreckage of an F-15, while the search for any missing crew members has so far been unsuccessful. Video geolocated by CNN captured multiple low-flying military aircraft over Khuzestan Province, indicating ongoing search and rescue efforts in the area.

(UPDATED April 4, 2026 03:45 UTC)

Iranian state media has reported that a bounty has been placed on an allegedly missing American pilot, who Tehran claims ejected from an F-15 fighter jet that was downed over Iran. The search for the pilot continues after the co-pilot was successfully rescued during a mission on Friday, which involved other U.S. aircraft that were targeted. As the search efforts stretched into the night, the focus remains on locating the missing pilot.

(UPDATED April 4, 2026 01:19 UTC)

Iranian authorities are offering a financial reward for anyone who captures the American aircrew, emphasizing that taking them into custody is a priority. on Friday, Iranian state media released photos of what it claims is the wreckage of an F-15, which shows identifiable features like a partial logo for “US Air Forces in Europe” and specific tail markings, following the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' claim that they shot down the jet. In a recent address, Trump noted that the military operation has been ongoing for 32 days, while video evidence shows multiple low-flying military aircraft conducting search and rescue operations over Khuzestan Province.

(UPDATED April 3, 2026 23:04 UTC)

Iranian state media has released photos claiming to show the wreckage of a U.S. F-15 fighter jet, with the pilot and weapons systems officer's whereabouts still unknown. In a recent address, Trump stated that the military operation has been ongoing for 32 days, while U.S. officials have maintained that American and Israeli forces have complete control over Iranian airspace, recently deploying B-52 bombers to reinforce this claim. As part of the search and rescue operation, video footage has captured multiple low-flying military aircraft over Khuzestan Province, with one airplane flying low and two helicopters closely following.

(UPDATED April 3, 2026 21:05 UTC)

Iranian authorities are offering a financial reward for anyone who captures the American aircrew from the downed F-15, emphasizing their priority to take them into custody. The state-run Tasnim agency reported that the search for any missing crew has so far been unsuccessful, while Iranian state media released photos of the wreckage showing identifiable features like a partial logo for "US Air Forces in Europe." This incident marks the first time a U.S. aircraft has been shot down over Iran during the conflict, with video evidence showing multiple low-flying military aircraft conducting search and rescue operations in Khuzestan Province.

(UPDATED April 3, 2026 19:12 UTC)

An F-15E Strike Eagle has been confirmed as the first U.S. aircraft loss since Operation Epic Fury began February 28th, after being shot down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which initially misidentified the jet as an F-35 Lightning II. Iranian authorities are now offering a financial reward for anyone who captures the American aircrew, stressing the importance of taking them into custody. Meanwhile, video geolocated by CNN shows multiple low-flying military aircraft over Khuzestan Province involved in the search and rescue operation, with one airplane flying low and two helicopters closely following behind.

(UPDATED April 3, 2026 17:08 UTC)

President Trump has been briefed on the downed F-15 fighter jet, which was reportedly shot down by Iran, according to multiple U.S. officials. The aircraft, identified as an F-15E Strike Eagle from the 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath, went down over central Iran's Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province during the ongoing conflict known as Operation Epic Fury. A search and rescue mission is currently underway, but Iranian state media has reported that efforts to locate any missing crew members have been unsuccessful. Local footage has shown military aircraft, including HC-130s and HH-60 Black Hawks, flying low over Iranian territory as part of the search operation. The wreckage has been geolocated to approximately 470 kilometers south of Tehran, with identifiable features confirming it as an F-15.