US media: One of the pilots of the F-15E fighter jet downed in Iran found alive

US media has put forward new claims regarding the US warplane downed in Iran.

In a report by the US-based news site Axios, citing sources familiar with the situation and Israeli officials, it was stated that the aircraft downed by the Iranian military was an F-15E fighter jet with a two-person crew.

It was stated that both pilots used their ejection seats to exit the aircraft safely.

It was claimed that US Special Forces units found one of the pilots alive as part of search-and-rescue operations conducted by the US.

Efforts to locate the other pilot are reportedly ongoing. It was noted that the Israeli side is also providing support for the search-and-rescue process. An Israeli official stated that some airstrikes against Iran were canceled to ensure the search-and-rescue operations could be carried out safely.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that US President Donald Trump has been briefed on the matter.

What happened?

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had claimed that a US warplane was downed. Reports in the Iranian press alleged that the pilot might be alive and had landed on Iranian soil. It was stated that the US was conducting search operations with helicopters and planes in southwestern Iran to extract the pilot, and an announcement broadcast on state television requested support from the local population, stating that a reward would be given if the pilot was captured alive.

An unnamed US official confirmed to the UK-based news agency Reuters that a US warplane had been downed in Iranian airspace and that search-and-rescue efforts had been launched for the pilot of the aircraft.

News Source: 12punto