A US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II was hit during combat operations linked to the escalating conflict with Iran on April 3, 2026. The pilot ejected and was rescued, according to US officials cited by CBS News and Air & Space Forces Magazine.
The A-10 sustained damage while supporting a search-and-rescue mission for the crew of an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over Iran earlier that day. Both crew members from the F-15E ejected; one has been recovered alive, while efforts to locate the second continue. Initial US indications point to Iranian forces hitting both aircraft.
Iranian state media claimed its air defenses struck an A-10, releasing video purportedly showing a missile impact over the Strait of Hormuz, though details on the extent of damage remain unverified. A rescue helicopter involved in the F-15E operation took small-arms fire, wounding crew members but landing safely.
The Pentagon and US Central Command had not issued a public statement by late April 3. This marks the first known combat loss of US crewed aircraft in the conflict.