US Warplanes Downed as Iran Conflict Deepens

Iran shot down two US military aircraft in separate incidents on Friday, with one American service member rescued and at least one still missing, marking a sharp escalation nearly five weeks into the war.

The incidents are the first confirmed losses of US aircraft since the conflict began and signal a dangerous new phase in hostilities between Washington and Tehran.

Officials said one fighter jet was brought down inside Iran. One crew member from that aircraft was rescued, while another remained unaccounted for as US forces launched a search-and-rescue mission.

Iranian state media separately reported that a US A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being hit by Iranian air defences. US officials, however, said it was not immediately clear whether the aircraft had been shot down or crashed, and the status of its crew was not yet known.

The White House and Pentagon did not publicly release details about the incidents. President Donald Trump, when asked about the rescue efforts, said the developments would not affect any negotiations with Iran.

“It’s war,” Trump said briefly.

The reported downing of the aircraft came as Iran widened its attacks across the region, targeting energy and strategic infrastructure in Gulf states while continuing to threaten Israel and US interests.

Iranian attacks hit Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery, where firefighters were deployed to contain multiple blazes. Kuwaiti authorities also reported material damage to a desalination plant, a critical facility for drinking water supplies in the Gulf.

Sirens were also heard in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted several Iranian drones, and Israel reported incoming missile fire. In the United Arab Emirates, authorities shut down a gas field after debris from a reported missile interception sparked a fire.

Social media footage appeared to show US drones, aircraft and helicopters searching over a mountainous area in Iran after reports that at least one pilot had ejected from a downed fighter jet.

Iranian broadcasters urged residents to report or hand over any captured “enemy pilot”, underscoring the growing propaganda and military pressure surrounding the conflict.

The downing of the aircraft is seen as a significant setback for the US military and could mark a more direct and costly phase of confrontation.

The broader war has already exacted a heavy toll. Since the conflict began on February 28, more than 1,900 people have reportedly been killed in Iran. Additional deaths have been reported in Israel, Gulf states, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon, where regional tensions continue to spill across borders.

The conflict has also rattled global markets, largely due to Iran’s continued grip over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital oil and gas shipping lanes.

The disruption has sent energy prices soaring, with Brent crude climbing sharply since the war began, fuelling fears of wider economic fallout and rising global costs.

World leaders have struggled to contain the crisis, and the UN Security Council is expected to discuss the situation as concerns grow over the risk of a broader regional war.