Two U.S. military fighter jets shot down in one day, two helicopters hit.

Xinhua Tehran/Washington April 3, 2024 (End) April 3, Iran announced that it had shot down a U.S. military fighter jet and an attack aircraft in succession. The U.S. side confirmed that the U.S. military rescued a fighter jet pilot and is searching for another pilot. U.S. media reported that the attack aircraft had crashed and its pilot had been rescued; in addition, two U.S. military helicopters taking part in the search and rescue were hit by Iran, and the crew members were injured.

Earlier that day, an Air Force F-15E “Strike Eagle” two-seat fighter jet was shot down over Iran. According to reports by media in Gulf states, at least two HH-60 “Pave Hawk” rescue helicopters of the U.S. military, an HC-130J “Combat King II” long-range search and rescue aircraft providing aerial refueling for the former, and an MQ-9 “Reaper” unmanned drone entered Iranian territory to conduct search and rescue, discovering and rescuing a pilot who had ejected. The whereabouts of the other pilot remain unknown, and the search is ongoing.

Israel’s Public Broadcasting Service reported that, with information provided to the U.S. side to help the U.S. find that pilot, the location where the fighter jet was shot down was in Khuzestan Province in western Iran, bordering Iraq. During this period, the Israeli military paused airstrikes on relevant areas.

The U.S. CBS, citing U.S. officials, reported that during the return flight, two helicopters—including one carrying the rescued pilot—were hit by Iranian ground small arms fire, causing minor injuries to several crew members. Both helicopters ultimately landed safely.

Iran’s military said that Iran’s air defense forces also shot down a U.S. A-10 “Warthog” attack aircraft in the airspace near the Strait of Hormuz that day. U.S. media reported that the single-seat aircraft was hit while providing support for the above-mentioned search and rescue operations; the pilot flew the damaged aircraft into Kuwaiti airspace, ejected, and the aircraft crashed.

Some U.S. media noted that the U.S. military had lost two aircraft within a single day—still less than 48 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed in a nationwide televised address that its military action against Iran had achieved “rapid, decisive, overwhelming victory.”

In early March, three U.S. “Strike Eagle” fighter jets crashed in Kuwait after being “friendly fire.” All six pilots survived. (End)