U.S. service member rescued from mountainous region after Iran downed F-15E Strike Eagle

(SeaPRwire) –   A U.S. service member who had been missing since Iran shot down a fighter jet has been rescued, according to two U.S. officials who spoke early Sunday on condition of anonymity ahead of an official announcement.

This rescue follows a strenuous search-and-rescue operation. The crew member had been missing since Friday, when Iran downed a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle. A second crew member was rescued earlier.

The conflict commenced with joint U.S.-Israel strikes on February 28 and has resulted in thousands of deaths, significant global market disruption, the closure of key shipping routes, and a surge in fuel prices. Both sides have issued threats and targeted civilian areas, drawing warnings of potential war crimes.

The fighter jet was the first U.S. aircraft to crash on Iranian territory since the conflict began in late February.

President Donald Trump stated last week that the U.S. had “decimated” Iran and would conclude the war “very fast.” Two days later, Iran shot down two U.S. military planes, highlighting the ongoing dangers of the bombing campaign and the capacity of a weakened Iranian military to retaliate.

The other aircraft that went down was a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft. The status of its crew and the exact crash location were not immediately known.

An intensive U.S. search-and-rescue operation was launched after the F-15E jet crashed on Friday, concentrating on a mountainous area in Iran’s southwestern province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad.

Iran also offered a reward for anyone who turned in the “enemy pilot.” Iran’s joint military command announced on Saturday that it had also struck two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters on Friday, though The Associated Press could not independently confirm this.

Trump renews threat

Trump reiterated his threats, demanding that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy shipments that has been obstructed by Tehran, by Monday or face severe repercussions. He posted on social media on Saturday: “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.”

“The doors of hell will be opened to you” if Iran’s infrastructure is attacked, stated Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the country’s joint military command late Saturday, according to state media. In response, the general threatened all infrastructure utilized by the U.S. military in the region.

However, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, informed The Associated Press that his government’s efforts to broker a ceasefire are “right on track” after Islamabad announced last week that it would soon host talks between the U.S. and Iran.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, indicated that Iranian officials “have never refused to go to Islamabad.”

Mediators from Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt are working to bring the U.S. and Iran to the negotiating table, according to two regional officials.

The proposed compromise includes a halt in hostilities to facilitate a diplomatic resolution, as per a regional official involved in the efforts and a Gulf diplomat briefed on the matter. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door diplomacy.

A second U.S. Air Force combat aircraft went down in the Middle East on Friday, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military situation. It was unclear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down, or if Iran was involved.

Iranian state media reported that a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iran’s defense forces.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, issued a veiled threat late Friday to disrupt traffic through a second strategic waterway in the region, the Bab el-Mandeb.

The strait, measuring 32 kilometers (20 miles) in width, connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Over one-tenth of global seaborne oil and a quarter of container ships transit through it.

“Which countries and companies account for the highest transit volumes through the strait?” Qalibaf inquired.

More than 1,900 people have died in Iran since the war began.

In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, over two dozen people have perished, while 19 deaths have been reported in Israel and 13 U.S. service members have been killed. In Lebanon, more than 1,400 people have died and over 1 million people have been displaced. Ten Israeli soldiers have lost their lives there.