U.S. forces were racing to find a missing F-15 crew member in Iran as the risky search-and rescue mission entered its second day. The fighter jet was one of two military aircraft shot down Friday while conducting combat operations against Iran.
President Donald Trump has indicated his interest in wrapping up military involvement in Iran within the next few weeks. But if the missing crew member is not rescued — or is taken prisoner — it could create a significant issue for the administration as it tries to force negotiations with the new Iranian regime.
Trump did not comment directly on the unfolding situation on social media or in media interviews as rescue operations continued Saturday, only commenting around 10 a.m. on Truth Social that Iran had 48 hours to come to an agreement to reopen the Hormuz Strait “before all Hell will reign down on them.”
Inside the Pentagon, there was also a tight focus on information silence as the agency worked the rescue. Calls requesting updates on the operation were not immediately returned.
“Everybody in the world cares about that service member and getting them home safely — and how it will affect the war,” a U.S. official told The Washington Post on Saturday.
The loss of the F-15 marked the first known instance of an American crewed aircraft being brought down inside hostile territory since the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran began five weeks ago.
The F-15E fighter jet and A-10 attack plane were both hit by incoming fire, U.S. officials said Friday. Both crew members ejected from the F-15 after their plane crashed inside Iran; one was rescued and is in U.S. care.
In a separate incident, the pilot of the A-10 navigated the damaged plane to Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting and was subsequently rescued, the officials said. The developments were confirmed by three U.S. officials speaking to The Washington Poston the condition of anonymity to discuss an evolving situation.
Two U.S. search-and-rescue helicopters were hit by Iranian fire, injuring U.S. personnel on board.
Combat search-and-rescue operations are inherently risky because the helicopters and planes used for them fly lower to the ground and must rely on other aircraft to protect them from enemy fire.
In Iran, state media has shown footage of people appearing to head into the mountains in Khuzestan carrying rifles to search for the missing crew member. Earlier, it said “many people” traveled to the area to “capture” the American and said Iranian armed forces called on people not to “mistreat the pilot.” Iranian television also broadcast a statement offering people in the area a “valuable” reward for the capture of an enemy pilot alive.
Strikes continued across the region Saturday with Israel attacking regime targets in Tehran and Iran launching a wave of strikes against Israel. Iran also accused the United States and Israel of carrying out strikes on petrochemical plants across Khuzestan, as well as the Bushehr nuclear power plant near the Persian Gulf — claims that U.S. and Israeli authorities have not confirmed.
Friday’s attacks on U.S. aircraft have undercut the Trump administration’s assertions of dominance over Iranian skies and raised questions about how much of Iran’s arsenal remains intact after more than a month of heavy bombardment by U.S. and Israeli forces.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps described it as a “black day” for American and Israeli air forces. Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, mocked the U.S. in a post on X: “After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?’ Wow. What incredible progress. Absolute geniuses.”
The Pentagon and the White House have not issued public statements on the incident. In comments to NBC News, Trump rejected the idea it could impede negotiations to end the conflict.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), who lost her legs while serving as an Army helicopter pilot during the war in Iraq, said her heart went out to those involved in the operation.
“As someone shot down behind enemy lines, my heart goes out to the crew members and their loved ones who are waiting for answers,” she wrote on X. “It’s a relief one servicemember has been found and rescued, and I’m grateful for those risking their lives to look for the one who remains missing.”
Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed in the war to date, including seven who died as a result of hostile fire and six killed in a plane crash in Iraq. Nearly 370 others have been wounded, according to publicly released tallies.
Friday’s incidents mark the fourth loss of an F-15 since the Iran war began and the first known loss of an A-10 during the conflict.
Suzan Haidamous contributed to this report.
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