The search for a downed F-15E Strike Eagle is intensifying over southern Iran, as both American and Iranian forces race to locate the aircraft’s crew amid rapidly escalating tensions.
Two sources speaking to CBS News confirmed that the jet crashed in Iran’s southwest, with verified footage showing a refuelling aircraft and at least two helicopters operating over Khuzestan Province — widely believed to be part of a U.S. combat search and rescue mission.
The number of crew on board remains unclear, though the F-15E typically carries two aircrew.
Iran has continued to claim that it shot down a stealth F-35 fighter jet, despite mounting evidence that the wreckage belongs to an F-15E.
The Iranian military announced on Good Friday that it had destroyed a “Strike Eagle” over central Iran, while unverified images circulating online purport to show debris from the crash.
Meanwhile, Mehr News Agency reported that local authorities had issued appeals for assistance in locating any surviving pilots.
In an extraordinary development, Iranian state television has reportedly called on civilians to help locate a U.S. pilot believed to have ejected over Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province.
According to Associated Press, a regional broadcaster initially urged viewers to “shoot them as soon as you see them” if they encountered American personnel — a message later revised to instruct citizens to hand any captured pilot over to police in exchange for a reward.
An anchor was quoted as saying: “If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a valuable reward.”
🚨‼️ BREAKING 💥
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) announce the downing of an American F-15 fighter jet on Qeshm Island. pic.twitter.com/Uvf71IlXrj— GBX (@GBX_Press) April 3, 2026
The appeal marks a significant escalation in rhetoric and, potentially, in risk to any surviving crew on the ground.
Reports from Tasnim News Agency claim that American helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and reconnaissance drones are actively searching for the missing personnel — though Washington has not confirmed these operations publicly.
Previously, U.S. officials have dismissed Iranian claims of downed aircraft. However, the scale of the apparent search effort — and the circulation of credible imagery — suggests this incident may represent a genuine loss.
The Pentagon has confirmed the downing of a U.S. fighter jet and Tehran is calling for civilians to hunt its crew, this marks a dangerous new phase in the conflict.
Analysts warn that public involvement blurs the line between civilian and combatant, raising the risk of further escalation and complicating any potential rescue mission.
It would also represent the first time during the war that Iran has openly broadcast instructions for civilians to locate — and potentially capture — an American pilot.
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