A US military official reported that one of the aircraft's pilots was rescued by his country's armed forces after crashing in Iranian territory; however, uncertainty persists as a search and rescue operation continues to locate a possible second crew member, given that the F-15 fighter jet has a capacity for two. The mission to recover military personnel was conducted under extremely dangerous conditions. Two US helicopters involved in the search were hit by Iranian fire. State media also urged the population to shoot down any spotted US aircraft, disseminating videos of locals firing firearms at the rescue helicopters. US President Donald Trump acknowledged the severity of the conflict in a telephone interview, declaring flatly: “We are at war.” Although he refused to provide technical details of the rescue operation due to its sensitive nature, Trump used his social media to question the control of oil in the region. Despite the attacks, authorities confirmed that all military personnel involved in the rescue operation are safe. In turn, Iran's Revolutionary Guard stated that the jet was shot down using a new and advanced air defense system belonging to its aerospace force. The internal response in Iran has been notably aggressive. Despite efforts to degrade Tehran's defenses, the downing of the fighter demonstrates that the country retains its response capability. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the president has been promptly briefed on this incident, which is part of a war that has already lasted over a month. This event casts doubt on previous US and Israeli claims of total dominance over Iranian airspace. Military tension in the Middle East has escalated to unprecedented levels after it was confirmed that Iran shot down a US F-15 fighter jet this Friday. A regional governor in the southwest of the country made a public call for residents in the area to capture the pilots, offering a reward of approximately $60,000.
