US Confirms Fighter Jet Downed in Iran, President Trump Briefed

Islamabad (Qudrat Daily) – US officials have confirmed that a fighter jet was downed in Iran, following Iranian claims that one of America’s warplanes was shot near the country’s border regions. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the incident, according to White House sources.

Reports indicate that the crash involved a US F-15E fighter jet carrying two pilots. One pilot was safely rescued, while search operations continue for the second. Iranian security forces and local civilians have reportedly been assisting in the search.

While Iran claims the aircraft was an F-35 stealth jet, US authorities maintain it was an F-15E. The exact status of the pilots remains unconfirmed, though Iranian media suggest that the surviving pilot may have been taken into custody.

This incident marks the first significant loss of a US jet since the recent attacks on Iran on February 28, amid ongoing regional tensions. Both Iranian and US media confirm the jet’s destruction, though the Pentagon has not yet released an official statement.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that its advanced, locally developed air defense systems successfully brought down the aircraft near the southwestern border. Local authorities and semi-official agencies have urged citizens not to mistreat the American pilot if encountered, offering rewards for information leading to the pilot’s recovery.

According to Iranian reports, the pilot may have ejected safely and landed within Iranian territory. US forces conducted search operations using Black Hawk helicopters and C-130 aircraft, but these efforts have so far been unsuccessful.

If confirmed, this would be the first complete destruction of an F-35 in the current conflict, although US media previously reported emergency landings of F-35 jets at a Gulf base due to operational damage.

Iran claims that since the start of the war, two F-35s, one F-18, two F-16s, and four F-15s have been downed, while the US has officially confirmed losses of three F-15s and one KC-135 tanker aircraft.