One Pilot Rescued After F-15 Goes Down Over Iran, Second Still Missing

UPDATE 9:15 A.M.: Authorities say one pilot has been rescued

One pilot has been rescued after a U.S. F-15 fighter jet went down over Iran Friday, but a second crew member remains missing, according to U.S. officials.

The rescue mission launched after Iranian state media reported the downed aircraft for hours. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it shot down the jet and published photos alongside that claim, though the U.S. has not publicly confirmed the cause of the crash. In Iran's southwest, one official issued a public plea asking locals to find the crew and promised a reward, according to official and semi-official Iranian news organizations.

The incident is the latest escalation in a war now more than a month old. President Donald Trump has declared success in the conflict and is pressuring Iran to agree to a deal, while massing new troops in the Middle East. Trump has threatened intense escalation if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route that Iran has closed.