A US Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during a mission supporting Operation Epic Fury during the war on Iran, on March 31, 2026 [Handout/US Air Force via Reuters]By Elizabeth Melimopoulos and AFPPublished On 4 Apr 20264 Apr 2026
Iran has claimed responsibility for shooting down two US warplanes.
Two American crewmembers were rescued and one airman remains missing after a F-15E Strike Eagle went down over the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces and an A-10 Warthog crashed into the Gulf, according to US media reports.
Iranians took to the streets in Tehran to celebrate what authorities described as a major military success.
Iranian officials said the downing of the aircraft demonstrates that Tehran still has the capability to confront US and Israeli forces, despite the Trump administration’s claims that the country’s military infrastructure has been severely damaged.
The incidents mark a significant escalation in the conflict, with search and rescue operations under way for the missing US crewmember.
Propaganda impact: Geopolitical analyst Phyllis Bennis said the downing of a US fighter jet and search for the missing airman could make it harder for the White House to maintain public support for the war, particularly among Trump’s MAGA base. The incident “changes the propaganda equation”, even if it does not change the military balance, she told Al Jazeera.
