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Aviation shootdowns and accidents during the 2026 Iran war Iranian forces shoot down a U.S.
Confirmed
US officials familiar with the situation said one crew member was still missing late on Friday, after Iranian state media released images of a tail fin and other debris accompanied by an initial claim that an advanced US F-35 had been hit by a new air defence system over central Iran.
Aviation experts said the wreckage pictured was in fact from a F-15E, from the US air force’s 494th squadron, based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK, though it could not at first be confirmed when and where the pictures were taken.
Justin Bronk, an aviation expert from Rusithe Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), said: “If genuine, it would suggest that at least one of the two aircrew did eject safely. Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that the pilot of the jet had been taken into custody, contradicting Tehran’s initial claim that the pilot had probably died in the incident.
In a brief interview with NBC News, the president declined to discuss the search and rescue mission but said the incident would not affect negotiations with Iran. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said on Friday that Tehran had rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, citing an unnamed source.
Meanwhile, powerful blasts rocked northern Tehran, as Israel said it had launched a new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital and Beirut. Iranian state media said its air defence system had targeted an “enemy” A-10 aircraft in southern waters near the strait of Hormuz.
The New York Times reported that a second US air force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, but the lone pilot was safely rescued. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said Trump had been briefed but she did not offer any additional information.
What's confirmed
- US officials familiar with the situation said one crew member was still missing late on Friday, after Iranian state media released images of a tail fin and other debris accompanied by an initial claim that an advanced US
- Aviation experts said the wreckage pictured was in fact from a F-15E, from the US air force’s 494th squadron, based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK, though it could not at first be confirmed when and where the pictures were
- Justin Bronk, an aviation expert from Rusithe Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), said: “If genuine, it would suggest that at least one of the two aircrew did eject safely.
- In a brief interview with NBC News, the president declined to discuss the search and rescue mission but said the incident would not affect negotiations with Iran.
- Meanwhile, powerful blasts rocked northern Tehran, as Israel said it had launched a new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital and Beirut.
- The New York Times reported that a second US air force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, but the lone pilot was safely rescued.
What's still developing
- US officials familiar with the situation said one crew member was still missing late on Friday, after Iranian state media released images of a tail fin and other debris accompanied by an initial claim that an…
- Aviation experts said the wreckage pictured was in fact from a F-15E, from the US air force’s 494th squadron, based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK, though it could not at first be confirmed when and where the pictures…
- The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said Trump had been briefed but she did not offer any additional information.
- In a brief interview with NBC News, the president declined to discuss the search and rescue mission but said the incident would not affect negotiations with Iran.
- Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said on Friday that Tehran had rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, citing an unnamed source.
- Justin Bronk, an aviation expert from Rusithe Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), said: “If genuine, it would suggest that at least one of the two aircrew did eject safely.
- Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that the pilot of the jet had been taken into custody, contradicting Tehran’s initial claim that the pilot had probably died in the incident.
- The New York Times reported that a second US air force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, but the lone pilot was safely rescued.