Live Reporting
Edited by Christal Hayes and Alys Davies, with reporting from BBC Persian and teams across the Middle East
1. What is going on with the search operation in Iran? Published at 04:51 BST Ghoncheh Habibiazad Senior reporter, BBC Persian Following reports that an American fighter jet had been shot down in Iran, Iranian outlets claimed one of two crew members had ejected and may have landed in the country’s south. US officials have told the BBC’s US news partner, CBS, that the pilot of the jet has been rescued and the missing crew member is a weapon systems officer. State-affiliated Iranian channels have urged citizens to “capture the pilot alive” and offered rewards. In one widely circulated example, Iranian outlets reported on a reward of around £50,000 ($66,100), an amount that is strikingly higher than the country’s estimated monthly salary range of £150 to £230. Soon after, videos began circulating showing armed civilians in two southern provinces searching for the crew member. In one unverified video from southern Khuzestan province, several men carrying firearms and the Islamic Republic’s flag can be seen searching for them, with one individual saying, “God willing, we will find him.”
2. Sirens sound in Bahrain as debris falls in Dubai Marina, officials say Published at 04:35 BST Bahrain’s interior ministry is reporting the sound of sirens in its country as it alerts citizens to “head to the nearest safe place”. Earlier, four citizens sustained minor injuries and several houses were damaged in Sitra – not far from the capital Manama – after shrapnel fell “from the interception of Iranian drones”, the interior ministry said in a post on X. Meanwhile over in Dubai, in the UAE, the government media office says shrapnel from a successful aerial interception fell on the facade of a building in the Dubai Marina area. There were no fires or injuries, it says.
[Fact Check: Reports of incidents in Bahrain and Dubai related to debris falling and sirens sounding caused by ongoing military activities in the region.]
3. Elite US combat search and rescue units known as ‘Swiss Army knives of the Air Force’ Published at 03:00 BST As the US races to find the missing US fighter jet crew member in Iran, specialist US combat search and rescue units will be scouring the area in Blackhawk helicopters, according to a former US Air Force Pararescue Jumpers commander. Speaking to the BBC’s US partner, CBS News, the former commander says if the rescue target is in an area inaccessible to a helicopter, squadrons from AC-130 gunships will jump from that aircraft and resume rescue operations on foot. Once on the ground, pararescue jumpers aim to contact the missing crew member, render medical aid if necessary, evade or hold off the enemy and get to a location where they can be rescued. Calling their jobs “harrowing and massively dangerous” is an understatement, says the commander, adding that these pararescuers are known as “the Swiss Army knives of the Air Force.” Read more: How elite US teams tackle combat rescue missions
[Context: Specialized US military units are involved in search and rescue operations in Iran to locate missing crew members from a downed US fighter jet.]
4. 365 US service members injured since start of Iran war – Pentagon Published at 02:33 BST A total of 365 US service members have been wounded in action since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, according to figures released by the Pentagon. They come from the following divisions: – Army – 247 – Navy – 63 – Marines – 19 – Air Force – 36 The death toll remains at 13, according to the figures.
5. Israel says it is striking Hezbollah sites in Beirut Published at 02:21 BST Israel’s military says it is conducting strikes in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. The Israel Defense Forces says the strikes are targeting “Hezbollah infrastructure sites” in the city.
[Fact Check: Israel confirms military strikes targeting Hezbollah in Beirut amid escalating tensions in the region.]
6. ‘They will not give up’ until they find missing crew member Published at 01:41 BST Grace Eliza Goodwin Reporting from New York Experts are telling the BBC that the ongoing search for the missing crew member of the downed US fighter jet is extremely time-sensitive, as Iran races to locate the same personnel as US combat search and rescue crews. “It’s the most dangerous military mission that I know of,” says James Jeffrey, a military strategist and top US diplomat who has served as special representative for Syria and special envoy to the international military intervention against Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq. Such missions are often conducted by helicopters, with refuelling aircraft in support and other military aircraft on hand to conduct strikes and patrol the area. Verified video that emerged from Iran on Friday appears to show such a mission under way over Khuzestan province. “These are Air Force special operations people who are trained almost to the level of Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team Six, but they also have medical capabilities,” Jeffrey tells the BBC. “They will not give up until they can find a pilot if they think there’s any chance.” When a jet is shot down over enemy territory, the pilot and crew from that aircraft are also highly trained for such a situation.
[Context: Intensive search and rescue efforts are underway in Iran to locate missing crew members from a downed US fighter jet.]
7. Video appears to show US search and rescue operation in southern Iran Published at 01:24 BST Earlier BBC Verify confirmed a video showing what appeared to be a US plane accompanied by two helicopters flying over southern Iran as a search and rescue operation was carried out for the crew of the downed F-15 fighter jet. We have confirmed the video was filmed in Khuzestan province, near a bridge over the Karun river, at this location: 31.591393, 50.275430. The video has been checked for recency and for signs of AI manipulation. Reports from the US, quoting unnamed officials, say the mission led to the rescue of one of the crew members but there’s still an ongoing search for the second crew member.
[Fact Check: Ongoing search and rescue operations captured in verified video footage in southern Iran.]
8. Strikes in the Middle East continue Published at 01:15 BST There have been reports that the Israeli military is holding off striking southern Iran as the search for the missing US fighter jet crew member continues. Elsewhere though, heavy explosions in east Tehran have been heard by two sources, our BBC Persian senior reporter says. Three others have told the BBC that they have heard fighter jets in the sky. Iranian outlets have said that air defences have been activated in the city.
[Fact Check: Reports of military strikes and explosions in Tehran amid escalating tension in the region.]
9. What we know so far about the downed F-15 fighter jet Published at 01:10 BST Jacob Phillips Live reporter One crew member has been rescued from a US F-15E fighter jet that was downed in southern Iran, US media reports. What has happened to the second crew member on the jet remains unknown, but CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reports that the search is ongoing, citing two officials. It says the rescue crew included two helicopters and an A-10 Warthog plane. It adds one helicopter carrying the rescued pilot from the F-15 jet was hit by small arms fire, injuring crew members on board – but it landed safely. CBS reports that the A-10 Warthog was hit, with the pilot ejecting over the Gulf and subsequently rescued.
[Context: Developments surrounding the downed US fighter jet in Iran and ongoing search and rescue operations for the missing crew member.]
10. A race to find a missing US crew member after US warplanes shot over Iran and the Gulf Published at 01:07 BST We have moved our live coverage here, and will continue to bring you the latest developments from the war in the Middle East, as the conflict nears the end of its fifth week. Here’s a recap of what has been happening: – Iran is claiming to have shot down two US warplanes – one F-15 flying over the southwest of the country and a second plane involved in a mission to rescue the F-15’s crew. – Two crew members were in the F-15 jet, with one member rescued and the other airman still missing, the BBC’s news partner CBS reports. The pilot of the second downed plane, an A-10 Warthog, ejected safely over the Gulf and was rescued, CBS reports. – Iran is offering rewards to anyone who captures the missing crew member alive, Iranian state TV reports, and US crews were reportedly met with gunfire during search-and-rescue efforts.
[Context: Summary of recent events in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East involving US warplanes in Iran and the Gulf.]
