Tehran (Horn post) Iranian state-affiliated media on Sunday broadcast images purportedly showing the wreckage of U.S. military aircraft allegedly destroyed during a recent rescue operation involving an F-15E Strike Eagle crew member.
According to Iranian reports, the debris includes aircraft said to have been targeted after entering Iranian airspace during the mission. The images, which have not been independently verified, were presented as evidence of what Tehran described as a successful defensive response.
U.S. media outlets, including The New York Times, reported that complications arose during the operation, which involved efforts to recover a downed or endangered aircrew member. Two transport aircraft assigned to extract special operations forces and the pilot reportedly encountered technical difficulties.
Citing U.S. officials, the report said American forces destroyed two disabled aircraft to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands. The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed the full details of the incident.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Base claimed that “hostile aircraft entering Iranian airspace were targeted south of Isfahan,” including two Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft.
The conflicting accounts highlight the ongoing information battle between Washington and Tehran, with key aspects of the incident remaining unclear and independently unverified.
Prepared by:
Horn post staff
