A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II was downed near the Strait of Hormuz on April 3 while supporting a combat search-and-rescue operation for the crew of a shot-down F-15E Strike Eagle over Iran.
The F-15E, a multirole fighter carrying a pilot and weapons systems officer, was hit by Iranian forces, with both crew members ejecting. One has been rescued and is alive, while search efforts continue for the second, according to U.S. officials speaking to Air & Space Forces Magazine. Initial indications point to both aircraft being struck by Iranian defenses, marking the first known combat losses of U.S. crewed jets in the conflict.
The A-10, known for its low-altitude close air support role, was lost in the Persian Gulf region during the mission. Its pilot ejected safely and was rescued. Iranian state media claimed responsibility, posting photos of wreckage purportedly from the F-15E, though authenticity remains unverified. Social media videos from southwestern and central Iran showed low-flying U.S. aircraft conducting rescue operations, supported by HC-130J Combat King II planes and HH-60 helicopters.
U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon have not commented. The incident follows prior losses, including three F-15Es in a March 2 friendly fire event with Kuwaiti aircraft and a KC-135 crash in Iraq.