Both US crew members from downed F-15 fighter jet rescued in Iran

US military officials have confirmed that the second missing crew member from an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet shot down over southwestern Iran has been located and rescued, completing a high-stakes search-and-rescue operation.

The two-person crew ejected from the aircraft after it was brought down by Iranian air defenses on Friday. One crew member was recovered alive earlier in a swift US operation, while the second, reported to be the weapons systems officer, had remained unaccounted for amid intense searches by both American and Iranian forces.

US special forces conducted the rescues on Iranian territory, according to multiple reports citing US and Israeli officials. The operation involved coordination to avoid interference with other military activities in the region, which is part of an ongoing broader conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran that began in late February.

Iranian state media had earlier broadcast images of the wreckage and urged local residents and nomads to search for the American airmen, with officials offering a reward for information or capture.

Both crew members are now reported safe following the successful recovery efforts, though US officials have not released further details on their condition or the exact circumstances of the rescues due to operational security.

The incident marks the first confirmed loss of a US fighter jet to enemy fire inside Iran since the current escalation. It has heightened tensions, with both sides trading threats amid the wider regional conflict.