A search is underway for a missing crew member after a US F-15E fighter jet flying over southern Iran was shot down on Friday, US media has reported. A pilot who was on board was reportedly rescued by US forces, but the search for the second crew member, a weapons system officer, is ongoing, reports say. Separately, a US A-10 Warthog aircraft that was part of the search and rescue mission for the downed jet was also shot and damaged; however, its pilot was safely rescued, according to the BBC's partner CBS News.

Iranian officials stated that the warplane was shot down by its air defense system, according to state media. The US Central Command has yet to comment on the incident. The aircraft was reportedly engaged in operations to deter Iranian drones and cruise missiles. The initial reports indicate that the downed jet’s second crew member remains unaccounted for, with ongoing search and rescue efforts complicated by claims of Iranian surface-to-air missile strikes.

During the rescue operation, helicopters were also targeted, resulting in injuries among their crews. Iranian state media reported that members of local nomadic tribes engaged in the firefight, illustrating the chaotic backdrop of the search efforts. This incident highlights the ongoing and complex tensions between the US and Iran and raises concerns regarding military operations in the region.