IRGC presence complicates US search and rescue mission for F-15E crew
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A large Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) presence in the area where the F-15E fighter jet crashed could complicate search and rescue efforts for the missing US crew member, a counterterrorism expert has warned.
Middle East Forum chief strategist Jim Hanson, who served with the U.S. Army Special Forces, joined “Fox & Friends Weekend” to explain what the mission might look like.
Khuzestan Province, where the fighter jet crashed, is home to Arab tribes opposed to the central Iranian government. While this may help the stranded airman, it also means the Revolutionary Guard is there to suppress dissent.
“The Revolutionary Guard and the Basij have a larger than normal presence there. [local tribes] When they protest, they come down,” Hanson said.
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A U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle performs during a demonstration flight May 25 in Miami, Florida. (Jesus Olarte/Anatolia)
“The regime also has as many people in the game as possible, and we should hope that people who don’t like the regime will help rather than harm,” he added.
Hanson said he believed the downed airman likely would have left the plains and tried to find cover in terrain that was harder for the IRGC to access. He noted that the strategy provided security benefits, although it made it more difficult for the United States to locate the missing crew member.
“You don’t want a group of Basij or other regime soldiers driving around in pickup trucks and getting to him easily,” Hanson said.
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It was reported that a US F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran’s Khuzestan province on April 3, 2026. (Fox News)
Calling the mission a “balancing act,” the official said military officials were weighing how many additional troops to send to the area to find the downed airman before those forces themselves became targets.
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Retired Air Force Brigadier General John Teichert, a former F-15E fighter pilot, said that although the environment was dangerous, quiet on the ground could be a good sign.
“While there is some concern about the amount of time that has passed since they were shot, I actually think it is a net positive because they are getting back to their education,” Teichert said.
A U.S. sailor signals the launch of an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while at sea supporting Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, 2026. (US Navy/Getty Images)
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“They found a good location which clearly shows that they were not captured by the enemy. And now the forces are just trying to find the right time and the right path based on the terrain and enemy forces formation to rescue our downed crew member,” he added.
Two airmen were involved in the F-15E crash, and one of them was rescued on Friday. The Revolutionary Guard and Iranian state media claimed responsibility for shooting down the jet.
