US launches rescue operation after Iranian media says US pilot ejected in Iran

One crew member has been rescued after an American aircraft went down in Iran, according to one U.S. and one Israeli official, who both spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive ongoing military operations.

The U.S. military rescue operation launched Friday after Iranian state media said an American fighter jet went down over southwest Iran and at least one crew member ejected.

Israel is helping the United States with the search and rescue operation, according to an Israeli military officer briefed on the information who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of a U.S. announcement.

Social media footage showed American drones, aircraft, and helicopters flying over the mountainous region where the Iranian channel said at least one pilot bailed out of the fighter jet.

It would be the first time the U.S. has lost aircraft in Iranian territory during the five-week war. It was not clear if the jet was shot down or crashed. The number of crew on board was not immediately known.

The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command didn’t immediately respond to several messages seeking comment. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “President Trump has been briefed.”

Earlier Friday, an Iranian state TV affiliate claimed a US pilot ejected from a fighter jet over southwestern Iran Friday. Iranian media also showed U.S. aircraft over the mountainous terrain. The TV anchor urged Iranians to deliver any “enemy pilot” to police for a “precious prize.”

The claim came as a major explosion hit Tehran and Iran fired on targets across the region, setting Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery on fire and damaging a desalination plant. Such plants provide most drinking water for Gulf states and have become a major target.

US officials are being informed about the rescue operation in Iran

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been notified about the situation with the pilot in Iran, his office said.

The Defense Department has notified the speaker and said it would provide further updates.

The U.S. military has been conducting a search and rescue operation in Iran, according to three people familiar who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitivity of the situation.

Four US planes had already gone down during the Iranian war

Four U.S. military planes had gone down during the Iran war before Friday’s search and rescue operation — three fighter jets hit by friendly fire over Kuwait and a refueling tanker plane that crashed in Iraq following an incident with another U.S. aircraft.

The KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq while supporting operations in Iran. All six crew members aboard the aircraft died. U.S. officials attributed the crash to an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace,” and said the other plane landed safely.

Separately, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly targeted by friendly Kuwaiti fire. All six crew members ejected safely.

Iranian media show American aircraft over area where it said pilot ejected

Iranian state media soon after shared images online of what appeared to be American aircraft flying over the area, including helicopters, planes and drones.

The public request for help suggests the Iranian military, police and security services maintain a small presence in the rural region that spans over 15,500 square kilometers (5,900 square miles).

The province is mainly home to Iran’s Lur people, many of whom are farmers. The extreme south of the province is the start of Iran’s oil fields in the area.

Police ask Iranians to hunt for any downed American pilots

Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province is about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southwest of Iran’s capital, Tehran. Its provincial capital is Yasuj. It is an intensely rural, mountainous area of Iran, home to around 600,000 people.

The local television channel initially urged its viewers, if they saw Americans, to “shoot them as soon as you see them.”

It then changed the instructions, based on a police statement, asking for the public to hand over any downed American pilots alive to security agencies to “receive a precious prize.”

The anchor asked the public to cooperate with local authorities in the hunt.

Iran claimed to have shot down planes before. This time may be different

Throughout the war, Iran has made a series of claims about shooting down piloted enemy aircraft that turned out not to be true. But Friday was the first time that Iran went on television urging the public to hunt a suspected downed pilot.

United Arab Emirates defends against air attacks

The UAE ministry of defense said on Friday that its air forces engaged with 18 ballistic missiles, four cruise missiles and 47 drones, according to a statement posted on the social media platform X.

Trump calls for $1.5 trillion boost in defense spending alongside cuts in domestic spending

The increase in spending is the largest such request in decades as the president emphasizes U.S. military investments over domestic programs.

Trump’s plans for the Pentagon were confirmed in a White House outline of Trump’s 2027 budget proposal released Friday. The White House summary says Trump’s proposal would reduce nondefense spending by 10% by shifting some responsibilities to state and local governments.

Even before the U.S.-led war against Iran, the Republican president had indicated he wanted to bolster defense spending to modernize the military for 21st-century threats. Separately, the Pentagon last month proposed $200 billion for the war effort and to backfill munitions and supplies.

Iran keeps attacking with missiles and drones

Israel’s military said Friday afternoon that missiles had been launched from Iran toward the country.

Bahrain’s state-owned news agency said Friday that the country’s air forces intercepted and destroyed 16 drones in the last 24 hours.

Explosion wounds three UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon

The explosion Friday inside a UN position near the southern town of El Adeisseh injured three peacekeepers, two of them seriously, according to a spokesperson for the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.

“All are currently being evacuated to hospital,” Kandice Ardiel said, adding that the origin of the blast remains unknown.

Two other peacekeepers were killed Monday when their vehicle was struck by an explosion of unknown origin, a day after another peacekeeper was killed in a separate incident in southern Lebanon, where intense fighting between Hezbollah and Israel is ongoing.

The UN has said the deaths are under investigation, while Israel has denied any involvement.

In another reversal, Trump expresses interest in the U.S. keeping Strait of Hormuz open

The president said in a post on social media Friday morning that “With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???”

Trump’s comments seem to fly in the face of his remarks over the past week, including days ago when he said that ensuring safe shipping through the vital waterway was ‘not for us” and instead lashed out at other nations, including America’s allies, for not stepping in to police the strait from Iranian attacks on vessels.

The president’s Friday comment seemed to reflect remarks he made in private this week in which he expressed a desire to continue the war and try to seize Iranian oil, but said it “is unfortunate” that there did not seem to be patience among the American people for such an effort.

Israeli strike hits worshippers leaving mosque in West Bekaa, killing 2

The drone strike hit the town of Sohmor in eastern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.

The strike also wounded 11 people as they were leaving Friday prayers, NNA said.

The Lebanese Health Ministry did not immediately release its official casualty count.