April 4, 2026
One of the two aircrew from a US F-15E fighter jet shot down over southwestern Iran on Friday has reportedly been rescued and is alive, US and Israeli media reported. A search-and-rescue operation remains under way to locate the jet’s navigator, who is still unaccounted for.
Two US aircraft were reported downed that day. In addition to the F-15E over Iran, an A-10 Warthog was reported downed in the Gulf region; media-cited US officials said the A-10’s lone pilot was safely rescued. At the time of reporting, US Central Command and the White House had not released detailed public statements about the incidents.
Iranian state media and local officials said Iranian forces launched searches for the downed US aircrew and offered rewards to civilians who captured pilots alive and handed them to authorities. State-run Fars news agency reported military search operations in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
President Donald Trump, speaking to NBC News in his first comment after the F-15E was downed, declined to discuss operational details of the rescue effort and said the loss would not derail talks with Iran. In comments to The Independent, he refused to outline possible US responses if the missing crew member were harmed, saying only, “We hope that’s not going to happen.”
Analysts said the incidents underscored Tehran’s continuing capability to threaten US forces. Emma Salisbury, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told DW that despite US technological advantages, Iranian drones and missiles pose a real danger and the US cannot assume air superiority over Iran.
The downings took place amid broader regional clashes and mounting diplomatic strain. Israel reported strikes on sites it described as “terror infrastructure” in Beirut and said it had also targeted infrastructure in Tehran. Fighting around Beirut intensified: Israel issued evacuation warnings for some southern suburbs and residents reported repeated explosions as strikes displaced people from densely populated districts where Hezbollah is active.
The US Embassy in Beirut urged American citizens to leave Lebanon while commercial flights remained available, citing a volatile security environment with airstrikes, drones and rocket attacks. The embassy also warned that Iran-aligned militias might target regional universities.
UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon said three personnel were injured by an explosion near El Adeisse; two were seriously hurt and evacuated to hospital. Earlier in the week, UNIFIL confirmed deaths of peacekeepers that are under investigation.
Diplomatic initiatives showed little progress. Reports said Pakistan-led talks failed to arrange a meeting between US and Iranian officials in Islamabad and that Iran rejected US demands it found unacceptable. Separately, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin called for an immediate ceasefire during a phone conversation, according to the Kremlin.
At the United Nations, the Security Council postponed a vote on a Bahrain-backed resolution that would have authorized the use of “defensive” force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The draft was reportedly softened after objections from China, France and Russia, reflecting concerns that legitimizing force could escalate the conflict.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz showed tentative signs of recovery: data firm Windward reported 16 cargo ships transited the strait on Wednesday, up from 11 the previous day. Many vessels stayed close to the Iranian-controlled corridor near Larak, while some took routes nearer to Oman. President Trump had publicly said the US could “OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT” by force, a comment that raised questions about how such an operation might be executed.
The fighting also affected religious observances. Jerusalem’s Old City was unusually quiet on Good Friday as Israeli restrictions kept shops and many holy sites closed. A small symbolic Via Dolorosa procession by Franciscan monks was permitted under tight limits amid concerns about missile alerts; church leaders and residents lamented the absence of the usual pilgrims.
What is known:
– Two US aircraft were reported downed on Friday: an F-15E over Iran (two crew) and an A-10 in the Gulf region (one pilot).
– One member of the F-15E crew has reportedly been rescued; the other remains missing and is the focus of ongoing search efforts.
– Iran announced searches for the downed crews and reportedly offered rewards for capturing pilots.
– The A-10 pilot was reported rescued.
– US and Israeli strikes and Iranian attacks continue across the region, particularly in Lebanon and Iran.
– Diplomatic mediation efforts have stalled and the UN Security Council delayed a vote on measures concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
– UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon were injured in recent explosions; the security situation has prompted evacuation warnings and advisories for foreign nationals.