US Fighter Pilot Ejects Over Southwest Iran After Jet Downed; Search Underway
TEHRAN/WASHINGTON – A US fighter pilot ejected from an aircraft over southwest Iran on April 4, 2026, marking the first known loss of a US jet inside the country since the US-Israel war with Iran began on February 28, according to Iranian media reports.
The aircraft was identified by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal as an F-15E Strike Eagle, a two-seat warplane crewed by a pilot and a weapons-systems officer. US media reported that one of the two crew members had already been rescued by US special forces, while a search was underway for the second.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB announced that military forces had launched a search operation in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, a rugged, mountainous region spanning over 15,500 square kilometres. Authorities urged the public to search neighbouring provinces as well, with one on-screen crawl controversially urging civilians to “shoot them if you see them.” A separate announcement promised a “valuable reward” for anyone who captured an enemy pilot alive.
IRIB also posted on X that crowds of civilians had driven out in private cars toward the crash site, while the Iranian armed forces called on people not to mistreat any pilot they might find.
Iran Claims F-35 Also Downed
Iranian media went further, claiming that an F-35 stealth fighter had also been brought down over central Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The semi-official Tasnim news agency published images of what it described as wreckage of an American jet, adding that the pilot’s chances of survival were low.
Separately, IRIB claimed that an F-15E belonging to the 494th Fighter Squadron, based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, had been shot down, posting that “debris of the tail fin confirms the downing.”
This marks the third time Iran has claimed to have downed an F-35 since the conflict began. Two earlier claims, on March 23 and April 2, were dismissed by US Central Command (CENTCOM), which responded to one Iranian video by stating, “All US fighter aircraft are accounted for. Iran’s IRGC has made the same false claim at least half a dozen times.”
As of the time of publication, there was no official response from CENTCOM, the Pentagon, or the White House regarding the latest claims.
War Enters 35th Day
The conflict, now in its 35th day, began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, targeting military sites and killing senior leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on US bases across the Middle East.
The human toll has mounted steadily: more than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran, 19 in Israel, over two dozen in Gulf states and the occupied West Bank, and 13 US service members have been killed.
The downing of the US jet and the ongoing search for its crew members threaten to further escalate tensions, even as the Trump administration has issued ultimatums for a peace deal.
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