According to Fox News, one of the two crew members aboard a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle has been rescued following the jet’s downing over Iran. 

The report said that the rescued crew member is receiving medical care, while an intense search and rescue operation remains underway for the second crew member.

President Donald Trump has been briefed on the incident, which marks the first known loss of a U.S. aircraft in Iranian airspace since the start of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026. The operation involves U.S. strikes aimed at destroying Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, nuclear sites, navy, and support for terrorist proxies.

Key details from reports:

• The aircraft was an F-15E Strike Eagle, a two-seat fighter-bomber likely from the 494th Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. Initial Iranian claims suggested it was an F-35, but wreckage photos pointed to the F-15E.
• U.S. jets were observed flying low over Iranian territory as part of the rescue effort. The downed jet was hit in southwestern Iran, near Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
• Iran has reportedly offered rewards for capturing the crew and mobilized local forces and tribes to search for them.

This incident comes after more than 13,000 U.S. combat flights over five weeks of operations with no prior aircraft losses. 

Multiple outlets, including CBS, NBC, Reuters, and Axios, corroborate the core facts citing U.S. officials: one crew member rescued alive, search ongoing for the second.

This incident might escalate the war further which has already intensified the situation.