ISLAMABAD: Iranian authorities have captured a United States F-15 pilot in southwest Iran following the downing of an advanced American fighter jet, Times Now has reported.
Times Now reports that Tehran asserts the pilot is now in Iranian custody after ejecting from the aircraft.
The development marks a dramatic escalation in the two-month-old Middle East conflict.
US officials confirm an F-15E Strike Eagle was lost over Iranian territory on Friday.
The two-seater jet is a cornerstone of American air power with a combat record previously unblemished by enemy fire.
Military data shows the F-15E can reach Mach 2.5 and ferry more than 3,800 kilometres while carrying up to 10,000 kilograms of ordnance.
This incident represents the first confirmed combat loss of an F-15 variant in nearly 50 years of service.
Iranian state media outlets including Tasnim and Mehr News released images of wreckage matching the F-15E.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is credited with the shootdown according to Tehran’s announcements.
Iranian television urged civilians to help locate and capture the crew offering a reward equivalent to 60,000 US dollars.
Times Now highlighted claims that a US UH-60 Black Hawk rescue helicopter was also downed during the operation.
International outlets such as NBC and Newsweek report a US search-and-rescue mission is underway.
CBS News citing US officials states one crew member has been rescued while efforts continue for the second.
The F-15E entered service in 1988 and forms the backbone of US strike capabilities with over 200 aircraft in the fleet.
Analysts note the jet’s advanced avionics and beyond-visual-range missiles had kept it undefeated in air-to-air combat until now.
The event unfolds amid weeks of US and allied strikes inside Iran with no prior confirmed manned aircraft losses.
Iranian air defences appear to have successfully engaged high-value targets using integrated radar and missile systems.
Regional media amplification including Times Now underscores the propaganda value of the alleged capture.
If verified the detention would deliver a significant symbolic blow to US air superiority claims.
Global markets are already reacting with oil prices showing volatility on fears of wider Gulf disruption.
Pakistan continues to monitor developments closely given its strategic stakes in regional stability and energy security.
Defence experts describe the downing as a rare tactical success for Iranian forces against Western technology.
Further confirmation from US Central Command remains limited as operational details stay classified.
The conflict now enters a more dangerous phase with both sides trading accusations of escalation.
This episode highlights the increasing risks of aerial confrontations in contested airspace.
Iran maintains the pilot’s capture was achieved without additional losses on their side.
Viral videos circulating online show apparent debris and low-level US aircraft activity over the area.
The precise location is reported in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad or adjacent southwestern provinces.
Such incidents rarely occur in modern peer-level engagements underscoring the intensity of current operations.
Diplomatic channels are expected to intensify as the fate of any remaining crew draws global scrutiny.