An American military aircraft was shot down this Friday, April 3rd over Iranian soil. This is the first time during the Middle East war that Iran has shot down an American fighter plane, according to Iranian media reports, later confirmed by US authorities.
The fate of the two individuals on board the aircraft is causing concern, especially for the United States, who have launched a search and rescue operation. The objective is to find their soldiers before the Iranians, officials said.
Simultaneously, a presenter on a local television channel affiliated with Iranian state television read a message urging residents to capture the enemy pilot or pilots and hand them over alive to security forces in exchange for a reward.
Difficult Rescue Mission
Several Iranian media outlets reported that helicopters were searching for the crew. According to Fars agency, it is impossible to determine to whom the helicopters belong, while Tasnim reported that the aircraft were American and one had to retreat after coming under fire.
One person was rescued a few hours after the crash according to US officials, but significant search efforts are underway to find the second. The rescue mission is proving difficult as Iran has demonstrated its ability to carry out strikes, especially against slow-moving helicopters.
Mohammad Ghalibaf, President of the Iranian Parliament, mocked the Trump administration on social media, saying, “This brilliant ‘war without strategy’ they initiated is now relegated from ‘regime change’ to ‘rescue mission’! Can someone find our pilots please?” he wrote. “Wow. What incredible progress. Real geniuses.”
The shooting down of this American aircraft comes hours after Donald Trump praised the bombing of an Iranian highway bridge, as reported by the New York Times. Trump had warned on social media that “this was only the beginning”. The American attack on the B1 bridge, connecting Tehran to the shores of the Caspian Sea, resulted in eight deaths and 95 injuries, according to Iranian media.
