On Friday night, US special forces carried out a daring mission inside Iran to rescue a crew member of a downed fighter jet, reports said.
Iran claimed it had shot down a US F-15 over its airspace, marking the first fighter jet destroyed in the conflict.
Two US crew members ejected, sparking a tense race between Iranian forces and the US military to locate them.
One crew member was successfully rescued in a high-risk operation involving two US military helicopters and low-flying refueling aircraft.
During the mission, both helicopters came under light fire from Iranian forces.
One helicopter was seen trailing smoke but both managed to return safely to Iraqi territory.
The second airman’s location remained unknown late Friday.
Iranian media broadcast images of local militias searching the area and announced a $60,000 reward for his capture, framing it as a propaganda victory.
In a separate incident, reports said a US A-10 Warthog, a close air support aircraft, crashed near the Strait of Hormuz.
Officials confirmed the pilot was rescued safely.
Former US President Donald Trump, asked about possible action if the missing airman were harmed, declined to comment.
“Well, I can’t comment on it because – we hope that’s not going to happen,” he told The Independent.
The events occurred amid ongoing US and Israeli air strikes across Iran.
State media reported that Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran was hit during strikes targeting the northern part of the capital.
The attacks come after Trump vowed to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Age,” escalating tensions in the region.
This incident highlights the growing risks for US forces in the region and the high-stakes nature of military operations near Iran’s borders.
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