US fighter jet shot down over Iran, search underway for crew
A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft takes off for a mission supporting Operation Epic Fury during the Iran war at an undisclosed location, March 9, 2026.
The prospect of US pilots being alive and on the run inside Iran during an ongoing conflict greatly raises the stakes for the United States in the conflict.
A US fighter jet was shot down over Iran and a search and rescue operation was underway for any survivors, a US official told Reuters on Friday, in the first such known incident since the US launched its war with Iran on February 28.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not offer further details.
