American forces are racing against time to locate the missing crew member of a US F-15E Strike Eagle shot down by Iran, while continuing efforts to find the second crew member whose status remains unclear.
Several unverified videos circulating on social media appear to show widespread US military search-and-rescue operations inside Iran, with helicopters and aircraft seen flying over the region.
An Iranian television reporter has said that anyone capturing the US crew member alive would “receive a valuable reward”, raising the stakes even further.
A purported video shared by a UK-based news outlet, Iran International, showed US helicopters coming under small arms fire amid rescue efforts.
Reports say such rescue missions are typically handled by highly trained US Air Force Pararescuemen, also known as PJs, who specialise in extracting personnel from combat zones.
The downed crew members are also trained to survive and assist in their own rescue, carrying first-aid kits and having “training in how to administer self-care in case they're injured”.
The incident marks the first time in over two decades that a US fighter jet has been downed in combat.
