One of the two crew members of a U.S. fighter jet shot down in Iran has been rescued, multiple outlets report.

Iran Reportedly Shoots Down U.S. Fighter Jet, Fate Of Crew Unclear

U.S. special forces rescued the crew member, while an Israeli official and a second source told Axios the search for the second crew member is ongoing.

Axios has more:

Israel is helping the U.S. with intelligence in order to locate the other crew member, the Israeli official said.

The two crew members of the F-15 fighter jet ejected safely after being struck by Iranian fire, the sources said.

U.S. special forces located one of the crew members and rescued him, alive, on Iranian territory.

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An Israeli official said Israel cancelled planned strikes in Iran so as not to hamper the search and rescue efforts.

Iranian media was first to report that a jet had been shot down. State TV told Iranians that anyone who located the U.S. troops would be rewarded by the government.

President Trump has been briefed on the downed fighter jet.

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NBC News shared further:

The rescue mission follows hours of reporting by Iranian state media of a downed U.S. fighter jet. Iran's media published photos alongside claims from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that it had shot down the aircraft. The Pentagon and the White House did not immediately comment on the claims.

A regional governor in Iran’s southwest had issued a public plea for locals to find those on board the jet and promised a reward, according to official and semi-official Iranian news organizations; a representative of merchants and businesses was reportedly offering the equivalent of $60,000.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident — the latest dramatic development in the war, now more than a month old.

Trump has declared success and pressured Iran to agree to a deal to end the war, while massing new troops in the Middle East and threatening intense escalation if Tehran doesn't reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz trade route.

It will also add to doubts over American-Israeli claims of dominance over Iran's skies. The joint campaign has focused intensely on destroying and degrading Iran's missile defenses, but Tehran has retained the capability to hit back across the region.

 

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