00:22The U.S. F-15E pilot missing over southern Iran is not actually the pilot,
00:29but the weapons systems officer, the rear-seat crew member responsible for the jet's weapons,
00:35sensors and targeting. The fighter jet was shot down on April 3,
00:402026, crashing in the rugged mountains of Kogaluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province near the
00:47Persian Gulf Coast. U.S. forces are conducting a high-risk search-and-rescue operation,
00:53racing against time to recover him, while Iranian forces and local militias actively hunt in the
01:00difficult terrain. The front-seat pilot was rescued by U.S. Special Forces in a daring
01:07combat search-and-rescue mission and is safe, receiving medical care. The rescue involved
01:14HH-60 Pavehawk helicopters, which took small-arms fire but returned safely. The missing WSO remains
01:23unaccounted for. No name, rank, or unit details have been released. This crew member faces extreme
01:30danger despite extensive SEER training, survival, evasion, resistance, and escape. Equipped with
01:38rations, water, survival kits, signaling devices, and personal locator beacons, the WSO is trained to
01:46hide, evade, and communicate discreetly. But the harsh terrain and active Iranian pursuit makes
01:53survival and extraction extremely difficult. Iranian forces, including the Revolutionary Guard,
02:00have sealed off the area. State media and local officials have encouraged civilians to help capture
02:07or confront the airmen, offering a reported bounty of roughly $60,000 for a live capture. Some segments
02:15even urged aggression against the crew member. The U.S. continues a high-risk air-based rescue operation
02:22using helicopters, HC-130 tankers, fighter escorts like A-10s, and AWACS support. Night operations are preferred
02:31for cover, and Israel reportedly delayed some planned strikes to avoid interfering with the search.
02:38President Trump has been briefed on the situation. This is the first U.S. fighter jet lost over Iranian
02:44soil in the nearly five-week-long conflict known as Operation Epic Fury. So far, the U.S. has lost
02:52at least
02:53seven manned aircraft. The rescue of the missing WSO is now the top priority. As of April 4, 2026,
03:02no confirmed contact, capture, or injury reports have emerged. Both sides are racing to locate the
03:09airmen, and the stakes remain incredibly high. The world watches as U.S. forces fight against the clock to
03:16bring one trained American airman home from deep inside hostile territory.
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