Tarek Chouiref
05 April 2026•Update: 05 April 2026
ISTANBUL
US aircraft struck several areas in Kohgiluyeh county in southwestern Iran in an apparent attempt to locate the pilot of a downed American fighter jet, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported Sunday.
Citing a military source, the agency said strikes targeted areas where the pilot was believed to be located.
The source said the US launched attacks after losing hope of recovering the pilot in rescue operations.
Tasnim also quoted the source as saying the United States was “not telling the full truth” about the pilot and that Iranian authorities would not disclose whether the pilot was in their custody.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Friday that it shot down a warplane in central Iran using air defense systems.
US media later reported that the aircraft was an American F-15 fighter jet and one pilot was rescued, while search-and-rescue operations were launched to locate the other.
The US and Israel launched an air offensive Feb. 28 against Iran, killing more than 1,340 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure, while disrupting global markets and aviation.
