Overview
- Two U.S. combat jets went down Friday in the region, with an A-10 crashing near the Strait of Hormuz and an F-15E shot down over Iran.
- The A-10 pilot was rescued, and one F-15E crew member was found, while the search continues for the second airman.
- Iranian state media said IRGC air defenses downed the F-15E, and U.S. officials confirmed the aircraft loss to the Wall Street Journal, while the A-10’s cause has not been disclosed.
- Iranian television asked civilians to help find the missing airman, with reports citing a $60,000 reward that news outlets have not independently verified.
- The A-10 is a rugged close-support jet built to fly low and survive ground fire, with 716 produced from 1972 to 1984 and an inflation-adjusted flyaway cost reported near $18.8 million.