Iran and the United States are racing to locate a crew member from a downed American fighter jet

Iranian and US forces were locked in a race on Saturday to locate a crew member from the first American fighter jet to crash inside Iran since the war began.

Tehran claimed it had shot down an F-15, while US media reported that American special forces had rescued one of the jet’s two crew members, leaving the other still unaccounted for.

Iran’s military also said it had downed a US A-10 ground-attack aircraft in the Gulf, though US reports indicated the pilot was safely recovered.

The conflict erupted more than a month ago after US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering retaliatory attacks that spread across the Middle East, disrupted global markets, and affected millions worldwide.

US Central Command did not immediately comment on the F-15 incident, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president had been briefed. President Donald Trump told NBC the loss would not impact negotiations with Iran, saying, “No, not at all. No, it’s war.”

An Iranian military spokesperson said an “American hostile fighter jet” had been destroyed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ advanced air defence systems, adding that search operations were ongoing. Iranian state media also suggested that anyone capturing a crew member alive would receive a “valuable reward.”

The US has acknowledged losing several aircraft during operations, including a tanker crash in Iraq and three F-15s downed by friendly fire. Retired US brigadier general Houston Cantwell said pilots are trained to prioritise concealment after ejecting to avoid capture.

Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf mocked Washington on social media, criticising the war’s trajectory.

Fresh strikes were reported across the region, including in Tehran, Israel, and Lebanon. Explosions were heard in northern Tehran, while strikes increasingly targeted economic and industrial sites, raising concerns over global energy supplies.

In Alborz province, Iranian officials said a US strike killed 13 civilians and wounded dozens. Writing in Foreign Affairs, former Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suggested Tehran could end the war by curbing its nuclear programme and reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief.

Iran has largely blocked the key waterway since the conflict began, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas typically passes. Military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari warned Tehran could escalate attacks on regional energy infrastructure in response to US threats.

Recent attacks included a drone strike on a Kuwaiti refinery that sparked fires and another that damaged a power and desalination facility. In Dubai, authorities reported a minor incident caused by debris from an intercepted aerial threat, with no injuries.

In Lebanon, the Israeli military said it had struck more than 3,500 targets since fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah began, including infrastructure in Beirut and bridges in the Bekaa Valley. Explosions were heard in the capital early Saturday, with smoke seen rising over the city.

Lebanon’s health ministry said more than 1,300 people had been killed and over 4,000 wounded since the conflict began, though Hezbollah has not disclosed its own casualties.