TEHRAN – Iranian government announced Rs18 million reward in search for a missing American pilot after US F‑15 fighter jet was shot down, escalating tensions and sparking an international manhunt.
A high-stakes search for missing American crew member after Iran shot down US F-15 fighter jet over southern Iran. The missing airman, a weapons systems officer, remains unaccounted for, while one pilot from the same aircraft has already been rescued.
BREAKING: Iranian state media has released footage claiming to show a surface-to-air missile striking a US A-10 Warthog over southern Iran. The A-10 later crashed into the Persian Gulf off the coast of Kuwait. The pilot ejected and was rescued.
This is the third US aircraft… pic.twitter.com/5qxFgWKAic
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) April 3, 2026
The search for the missing US pilot by Iranian villagers is still ongoing.
Extreme hunger and dehydration will motivate him to hand himself over. pic.twitter.com/IQtR4RYr8t
— Sentletse 🇿🇦🇷🇺🇵🇸🇱🇧 (@Sentletse) April 4, 2026
Iranian security forces are reportedly scouring the area, urging citizens to locate airman “alive,” and have offered a reward of $66,100 (18 Million PKR) for his capture. Iranian regime claims it also downed a second US warplane, an A-10 Warthog, during a rescue mission for the first jet. The Warthog pilot ejected over the Gulf and was rescued.
Tensions are mounting as Israel reportedly carried out new strikes on “key infrastructure” in Tehran. Emergency services in Israel report that one person was injured by shrapnel after an Iranian missile attack was intercepted.
US officials said rescuing the missing crew member is a “critical mission.” She said Iran capturing the airman would be a “huge prize” and give them a powerful bargaining chip in ongoing conflicts. Releasing images of the captive could shift American public opinion further against the war, which is already deeply unpopular.
“If those images surface, it could be incredibly influential from an American perspective,” Rapp said. She cautioned that a captured airman could complicate de-escalation efforts, as Iran would gain leverage in hostage negotiations.
If Iran finds the airman and parades him on TV, it would be a major propaganda win for Tehran and a political embarrassment for Trump administration. Such a scenario could also provide Iran with a prisoner of war, strengthening their bargaining position if peace efforts stall, despite President Donald Trump’s claims of progress in the region.
After five weeks of intense fighting, the US and Israel have faced Iran’s military strength head-on. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly boasted of “total air dominance,” a claim now seriously challenged after these setbacks.
Blow to US as Iran shoots down two jets; hunt underway for missing pilot
