TEHRAN: Iranian forces continued their search on Saturday for a missing United States pilot following the downing of two US warplanes over Iran and the Gulf, officials from both countries confirmed.
Two other airmen involved in the incidents were successfully rescued. The events underscore the ongoing risks faced by US and Israeli aircraft over Iranian territory, even as President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have claimed that US forces maintain full control of the skies.
The possibility of a US service member being alive and evading capture in Iran raises the stakes for Washington amid low domestic support for the conflict and no indication of a near-term resolution. Iranian fire reportedly brought down a two-seat US F-15E jet, while a US official confirmed that the pilot of an A-10 Warthog fighter, which crashed in Kuwait after being hit, had ejected safely.
Two Black Hawk helicopters sent to search for the missing pilot were also targeted by Iranian fire but managed to exit Iranian airspace unharmed. The extent of any injuries to the crew members remains unclear.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it was combing a southwestern area near the F-15E’s crash site, and local authorities promised rewards for anyone who captured or killed “forces of the hostile enemy.” The Iranian public celebrated the downing of the US aircraft, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf describing the war as having shifted from “regime change” to a hunt for US pilots.
President Trump has been receiving regular updates on the rescue operation from the White House, a senior administration official told Reuters. The Pentagon and US Central Command did not immediately comment on the developments.
Efforts by Pakistan to mediate a ceasefire between the US and Iran have reportedly stalled, with Tehran indicating it is not prepared to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Since the war began with strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, thousands have died, an energy crisis has been triggered, and the global economy has faced significant disruptions. The US Central Command reports that 13 US service members have been killed, with over 300 wounded. Iran has launched drone and missile attacks on Israel and Gulf countries allied with the United States, which have so far refrained from direct involvement to avoid escalation.
On Saturday, authorities in Dubai reported no injuries after debris from intercepted aerial attacks struck the facades of two buildings.The US embassy in Beirut issued a security alert on Friday, warning of potential Iranian attacks on universities and urging US citizens to leave while flights continued to operate.
Israel has simultaneously targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut following attacks on Israeli territory by the group.Iran struck a power and water plant in Kuwait on Friday, following President Trump’s threats to target Iranian bridges and power plants, highlighting the vulnerability of Gulf states dependent on desalination for drinking water.
Earlier, US strikes hit the B1 bridge near Tehran, with Trump posting images of smoke and dust and warning of further attacks on infrastructure.In addition, a drone struck a Red Crescent relief warehouse in Bushehr province in southern Iran, and drones reportedly targeted Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s Mina al-Ahmadi refinery.
Other missile and drone attacks were intercepted in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, while debris landed near the Israeli port of Haifa, home to a major oil refinery.Global oil markets reacted to the conflict, with benchmark US crude prices jumping 11% on Thursday after President Trump gave no clear indication of an imminent end to the war.