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Following reports that a U.S. fighter jet was potentially shot down in Iran over enemy territory, it appears that one of the two missing crew members has been rescued, according to some sources in the media.
The reports on the evolving situation were scattered and, at first, unconfirmed. Iran has often claimed to have shot down U.S. aircraft, and their claims are usually proven to be untrue.
However, earlier on Friday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN that the president had been briefed on the situation.
“Two US officials have now confirmed to Newsmax that one of the pilots has been rescued and is undergoing medical treatment. The status of the second pilot is unknown,” said reporter Carla Babb on X.
Videos on social media of a potential search and rescue operation in the region also surfaced on Friday, lending more credibility to the possibility that U.S. pilots were behind enemy lines.
According to The New York Times, one American pilot has been rescued, while a second airman’s status is still unknown, as of Friday afternoon. The jet that was shot down by the Iranians was reportedly an F-15E.
Another report from the outlet claimed that a second U.S. aircraft, an A-10 Warthog, went down in the Persian Gulf area on Friday, but noted that there was only a single pilot in this plane, and this individual was successfully retrieved. NYT cited “two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.”
The Israel Defense Forces have reportedly suspended their airstrikes in the region to allow U.S. search and rescue units to search for the missing airman, according to an Israeli official who spoke to the AP.
The Pentagon and the White House have remained tight-lipped about the evolving situation in the Middle East as it pertains to these potential situations.