A second US Air Force combat aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, with its lone pilot rescued, The New York Times reported, citing two US officials.
“A second US Air Force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday and its only pilot was then rescued,” the report said, based on accounts from two officials speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.
The aircraft was identified as an Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, commonly known as the A-10 Warthog, which went down near the Strait of Hormuz. Officials did not provide details on the cause of the crash or the exact circumstances.
Iranian state media, however, claimed the A-10 was targeted in southern waters near the Strait of Hormuz, though there was no immediate confirmation from US officials.
The incident occurred around the same time another US aircraft, an F-15E Strike Eagle, was shot down over Iran. In that case, one crew member was rescued, while search-and-rescue teams continued efforts to locate the second airman.
The developments mark a potential escalation in the conflict, coming days after US President Donald Trump said in a national address that the United States had “beaten and completely decimated Iran” and was “going to finish the job very fast.”
Iran’s actions in the Gulf, including threats to energy infrastructure and its control over the Strait of Hormuz — a route for roughly a fifth of global oil and gas supplies — have unsettled markets, pushed up oil prices and raised concerns about rising costs for basic goods.
The loss of US aircraft in the region could signal increased pressure on American forces, marking a notable shift in the conflict’s trajectory.
Iran has previously made claims about downing piloted aircraft that were not substantiated. However, in a departure from earlier instances, state media on Friday urged the public to search for a suspected downed pilot.
So far, 13 US military service members have been killed in the conflict and more than 300 have been wounded, according to the U.S. Central Command. No U.S. troops have been taken prisoner by Iran.
