US F-15E fighter Jet Downed Over Iran, Rescue Helicopter Reportedly Hit

A U.S. F-15E fighter jet on a bombing raid over Iran was shot down by Iranian missiles this morning while a rescue helicopter sent to recover the pilots was also reportedly hit.

The Pentagon confirmed the loss of the aircraft and the recovery of one of the two pilots while the second pilot is missing. Reports in the Iranian media have urged civilians to help capture the missing pilot.

Reports in the Iranian media indicate that the rescue helicopters came under fire from Iranian military with no confirmation of its aftermath. Videos on X posted by Iranian accounts show the helicopter been hit by a missile and disappearing over some mountains in a blaze of fire.

Throughout the day the US CentCom denied claims in the Iranian media that their F-15E fighter had been shot down. However, the Pentagon confirmed the loss to several U.S. media outlets such as CBS and Fox News.

Images of the aircraft’s tail section have appeared on social media with its tail designation indicating that the fighter was based out of the U.K.

Later, images of one of the ejection seats began to appear in the media solidifying claims that the F-15E had indeed been shot down.

Search and rescue helicopters were observed over Iran with  a couple of them being refueled by an aerial refueling aircraft.