On Saturday, Iran declared that its newly developed air defense system, which reportedly downed two American aircraft, will enable the country to assert complete control over its airspace amidst ongoing assaults from U.S. and Israeli forces.
This assertion was made by Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command and was broadcasted via state media, as noted by Reuters.
The embattled nation potentially utilized its Third Khordad missile system, a mobile medium-range surface-to-air defense platform, to bring down an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet, according to The New York Times.
Some analysts, however, propose that Iran employed passive infrared detection systems to monitor and engage the American aircraft, effectively tracking the F-15E without using radar signals, which U.S. jets are designed to detect and avoid, reported ABC News.
The $31 million fighter jet reportedly crashed in the province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, located in southwestern Iran near the Iraqi border. The pilots ejected, with one rescued following the incident on Friday, while the other remains missing.
During a subsequent rescue mission for the missing pilot, an A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” attack aircraft was hit but managed to crash-land safely after crossing into Kuwaiti airspace, with its pilot successfully ejecting.
These were the first confirmed losses of US aircraft in Iran since the start of the war on Feb. 28. The US military hit more than 12,300 targets in the conflict so far.
US officials have claimed the sustained bombing campaign has degraded Tehran’s missile and drone capabilities by more than 90%.
With the F-15E’s weapons systems officer missing, armed Iranian nomads have joined the hunt as officials are offering reportedly a $60,000 bounty while calling on civilians to join in the manhunt.
