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By Peter Aitken and Gabe Whisnant
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A second U.S. Air Force combat aircraft crashed Friday in the Persian Gulf region, with the lone pilot safely rescued, two U.S. officials told the New York Times.
The officials said the A‑10 Warthog went down near the Strait of Hormuz around the same time an F‑15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran, an incident in which one crew member was rescued and search teams are still looking for a second airman. However, officials have disputed the cause of the crash, with Iranian media claiming that its military had struck the plane.
Department of Defense officials did not immediately return a message from Newsweek seeking additional details on Friday.
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Why It Matters
The U.S. military said Friday afternoon it had received notice of “an aircraft being shot down” in the Middle East, according to an internal Pentagon email obtained by the Associated Press. The email provided no additional details.
Social media footage appeared to show U.S. drones, aircraft and helicopters operating over the mountainous area where Iranian television said the ejection occurred. NBC News reported Friday afternoon two U.S. military helicopters involved in the search for the F-15 were struck by Iranian fire. The service members are all safe, a U.S. official told the network.
The crashes come just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the United States had “beaten and completely decimated Iran” and was moving to end the war quickly.
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What To Know
The A-10 Thunderbolt, more commonly known as a Warthog, crashed on Friday. The Times had initially reported the A-10 went down near the Strait of Hormuz, but details about how it crashed and where it went down remained "scant."
People familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal the plane did not come down in Iranian territory. The AP also noted the cause of the crash remains unclear, whether it was shot and if Iran was involved.
Fox News also reported, citing a "well-placed source," reports claiming the plane went down because Iranian forces had shot it "are not accurate." The source said instead the plane caught "enemy fire" while a rescue operation for the crew took place.
Trump has yet to comment on either crash, with NBC News reporting during a phone interview following both crashes the president declined to discuss any search and rescue efforts. When asked if the events would impact negotiations with Iran, he said: "No, not at all. No, it's war."
The White House then called a lid on press appearances for the day at around 4 p.m. ET, meaning the president will not appear in front of media for the rest of the day, and occurring earlier than normal, according to the AP.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social wrote: "With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???"
In a separate post, he added: "KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?"
Senator Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, on X: "Like so many of you, I’m holding my breath and hoping for the quick recovery of the second crew member and for the security of the rescue effort. One thing we can all agree on is the safety of our service members."
Senator John Curtis, a Utah Republican, on X: "I stand by the President’s actions taken in defense of our national security interests in the Middle East. But we must be clear-eyed about history and the Constitution. While I support maintaining our readiness and replenishing stockpiles, I cannot support funding for further military operations without a formal declaration of war from Congress."
Update 4/3/26, 4:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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