Iranian forces have successfully shot down a U.S. F-15 fighter jet and an A-10 attack aircraft, marking the first instances of Iran downing American warplanes since the outbreak of hostilities.
CNN and other outlets reported on Saturday that a U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthog attack aircraft was shot down near the southern tip of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The aircraft fell into the sea, according to CNN. Multiple U.S. officials confirmed the A-10's crash to the New York Times and the Washington Post. The sole pilot on board was reportedly rescued.
Ebrahim Jolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran's Central Military Command, said on state television the same day that "an advanced enemy aircraft was shot down near the southern tip of Qeshm Island." He added that "the aircraft crashed into the Persian Gulf waters between Hengam Island and Qeshm Island." White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt told AFP that President Donald Trump had been briefed on the downing of the warplanes.
CBS and multiple other U.S. media outlets reported the same day, citing U.S. administration officials, that an F-15E Strike Eagle was also shot down over southwestern Iran. Iranian state media said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) downed the jet with anti-aircraft fire. The state media reported that one U.S. crew member ejected from the crashing fighter and released images of an ejection seat that landed onshore. CNN analyzed that the seat matched the model used in F-15 fighter jets. Earlier wreckage photos released by Iranian state media were also found to match U.S. Air Force F-15 reference images.
The U.S. military appeared to have launched a search-and-rescue operation to recover the crew. One low-flying, slow-moving aircraft and two helicopters were spotted, which CNN described as a typical search-and-rescue profile. The Washington Post, citing expert analysis, assessed that HH-60G search-and-rescue helicopters were deployed, accompanied by a KC-130 tanker to provide in-flight refueling. CBS reported, citing two U.S. officials, that the military rescued one of the two crew members — believed to be the crew member who ejected from the F-15. The other remains missing.
The shootdowns contradict claims by President Trump and the U.S. military that Iran's air defense network had been fully neutralized. At the Future Investment Initiative Summit in Miami, Florida, on May 27, Trump repeatedly emphasized that Iran's navy, air force, air defenses, and communications networks had all been destroyed. He also claimed that Iran's leadership, including the Supreme Leader, had been eliminated. In a nationally televised address on June 1, Trump asserted that "Iran's missile and drone launch capabilities have been dramatically weakened, and weapons factories and rocket launchers are being shattered, with little remaining."
CNN reported on Saturday that despite five weeks of daily U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeting military objectives, intelligence assessments indicate roughly half of Iran's missile launchers remain intact. According to intelligence data, thousands of Iranian attack drones remain in arsenals, representing approximately 50% of Iran's total drone capability. A significant number of Iran's coastal defense cruise missiles capable of threatening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz were also found to be undamaged.
Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency reported the previous day that the IRGC had separately shot down an American fifth-generation F-35 fighter for the second time. However, that claim has not been verified. On May 19, a U.S. F-35 stealth fighter was forced to make an emergency landing after being hit by anti-aircraft fire believed to have been from the IRGC. On May 13, a KC-135 aerial refueling tanker operating over western Iraq collided with another tanker and crashed, killing all six crew members on board.
Asked in a phone call with NBC whether the shootdowns would affect negotiations with Iran, President Trump said, "Not at all," adding, "This is during a war."