US pilot rescued after F-15 shot down over Iran
A second crew member from the downed fighter jet has also been rescued following a heavy firefight, US officials said.
2:56 AM
A US pilot has been rescued after their F-15E fighter jet was shot down over western Iran, according to unnamed US officials cited by CBS News.
The search and rescue mission involved a Warthog jet and two helicopters. During the operation, the rescue team came under fire. The Warthog pilot ejected over the Persian Gulf and was recovered, CBS News reported.
The helicopter that rescued the F-15 pilot was also attacked, wounding crew members, according to the report.
A second crew member from the downed F-15E has also been rescued following a "heavy firefight," Axios reported, citing US officials. However, the second crew member is "not safe yet" as the rescue team must still exfiltrate from Iran, the officials said.
Reports that a US F-15E jet had been downed were first published by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) affiliated Tasnim news agency.
The incident comes after US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran's drone and missile capabilities had been "decimated".