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President Donald Trump has been briefed Friday on an F-15 fighter jet that went down over Iran, Fox News has learned.
It’s the first known loss of U.S. aircraft since the conflict known as Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and state media claimed to have shot down a U.S. fighter jet over central Iran, specifically in the mountainous Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
Initial Iranian reports claimed the aircraft was an F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. However, subsequent photos of wreckage released by Iranian media suggest the aircraft may be an F-15E Strike Eagle, likely from the 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath.
It’s not immediately clear why the jet went down. Central Command, the theater responsible for operations in the Middle East, is expected to issue a statement on the matter soon.
The F-15 is a two-seat aircraft, and the whereabouts of the pilot and weapons systems officer on board are not yet known.
Local footage appears to show HC-130s and HH-60 Black Hawks flying low over Iranian territory, suggesting a search for those on board.
U.S. officials for weeks have insisted the U.S. and Israel have “complete control over Iranian skies,” and recently sent the slower, non-stealthy B-52 bombers into Iran, underscoring how confident they were that Iranian airpower had been nearly eliminated.
“We are in this military operation … for 32 days,” Trump said in an address Wednesday. “And the country has been eviscerated and essentially is really no longer a threat.”
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“They have no anti-aircraft equipment,” Trump said. “Their radar is 100% annihilated. We are unstoppable.”
Aviation experts say the aircraft seen in the circulating footage appears consistent with an F-15 based on several distinctive features, including its twin vertical tails, wide fuselage, and dual-engine configuration. The F-15s widely spaced engine intakes and rectangular air inlets are also key identifiers that distinguish it from other U.S. fighter jets.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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