U.S. fighter jet downed in Iran
A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle on July 16, 2020.
Nurfoto | Nurfoto | Getty Images
The United States has begun searching for the crew of the American warplane that was shot down in Iran on Friday, a US official said. MS said NOW.
MS NOW said it was unclear whether the plane was shot down or was shot down for another reason. According to MS NOW, the jet was an F-15 with two crew members and the soldiers’ whereabouts were unknown.
The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment.
The New York Times, citing US and Israeli officials and Iranian state media, said that Iran shot down the warplane; However, MS NOW said it had not independently confirmed this news.
This appears to be the first known loss of a US jet in the country since the war in Iran began in late February.
The downing of the jet comes at a sensitive time when the United States has shown little sign of slowing its attack on Iran and reports of possible peace talks have failed to yield any progress. The death toll from conflicts in the Middle East is approaching 5,100, according to MS NOW.
The war has been raging for more than a month, choking tanker traffic in the critical Strait of Hormuz and threatening supplies of crude oil, fertilizer and other key commodities.
President Donald Trump claimed in his social media post on Friday that the USA could “easily” open the strait and “BUY THE OIL & GET A CHANCE”.
Trump also threatened to step up attacks on Iranian infrastructure late Thursday. Citing bridges and power plants, he said the United States “hasn’t even begun to destroy what’s left in Iran.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Trump said the United States would attack Iran “back to the Stone Age.”
