Iran has shot down for the first time a US fighter jet in its territory since the start of the war in the Middle East, according to United States authorities cited by Reuters. The aircraft, an F-15E of the Air Force, would have been shot down in the south of the country, although its exact location remains unconfirmed.
U.S. forces have activated a search operation to try to rescue the two crew members who were traveling aboard the fighter jet. In parallel, Iran has announced rewards for whoever manages to find the pilot, while the Revolutionary Guard searches the crash site and reinforces its presence in the area.
Iranian media have also reported the presence of American helicopters flying at low altitude on rescue missions, and have even disseminated images of civilians shooting at these aircraft. The president of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, ironized about the situation assuring that the American offensive has gone from seeking a “regime change” to trying to locate its own pilots.
This incident marks the fourth F-15 affected since the start of the conflict, although the previous three occurred in a friendly fire incident in Kuwait at the beginning of hostilities, in which the crew members could be rescued. In contrast, this downing marks a precedent by occurring directly in Iranian territory.
The event is framed within a growing military escalation within operation “Epic Fury”, driven by the Administration of Donald Trump. Days earlier, the US president had promised to intensify the attacks against Iran within two or three weeks, in a speech in which he avoided specifying strategic details.
Since then, the conflict has left at least 13 American soldiers dead and has intensified cross-threats. The Iranian Army has warned that any attack against key infrastructure will provoke a response “more devastating than ever” against the interests of the United States, Israel, and their allies, expanding the risk of a far-reaching regional escalation.
