A US F-15 has been shot down over Iran and a search and rescue operation is underway, according to multiple reports. One of the crew members has been rescued in the search operation, and efforts are ongoing to find the second crew member who has made contact with US authorities, according to Israeli outlet N12.  

The plane with a crew of two was shot down over Iran. However, one of the crew members has been found per Axios. The second crew member was able to make contact with the military through encrypted radio after the jet was taken down, per N12. Rescue efforts are ongoing. 

US Special Forces were able to locate one of the crew members after he was ejected from the fighter jet. The crew member was found alive in Iranian territory. President Donald Trump has also been briefed on the matter. According to CNN, the pilot was receiving medical treatment after being found. 

The aircraft that was shot down was an F-15E Stike Eagle Fighter jet, which is a military aircraft that is able to conduct air-to-air as well as air-to-ground missions. The aircraft usually has one pilot as well as another crew member handling the weapons system.  

As the search and rescue operations were launched, an Israeli official said that strikes from Israel were halted so as to not interfere with the efforts to rescue the crew members. Iran state media claimed the regime had shot down the plane and posted images of the purported wreckage of the aircraft. The photos appeared to be the wreckage of an F-15 fighter jet, but could not be immediately confirmed. 

The Iranian regime had called on civilians to search for the crew members and offered a reward from the government if they were found. If the jet was shot down by Iranian forces, it would be the first combat loss of a manned aircraft during the conflict. 

An aircraft was hit by shrapnel during an operation on March 19 after being targeted by enemy forces but was able to make a safe landing at a US airbase. In another incident, three USAF F-15Es were shot down, but it was due to friendly fire over Kuwait. All six crew members were able to eject safely at the time.  

Thus far, there have been 13 Americans that have been killed during the campaign in Iran. The conflict started on February 28 when US and Israeli forces started by striking and killing several of Iran’s top leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the country.  

The US has heavily degraded the Iranian regime over the last several weeks, and President Donald Trump has indicated that the conflict will be resolved soon. 

In a post to Truth Social on Thursday, Trump wrote, “Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the World, hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!”