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 administrationโs claims that the countryโs 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.
Here is what we know about the latest developments:
In Iran
- Major escalation:ย US forces are conducting search and rescue operations for a missing crewmember after Iran downed two American warplanes. A US Black Hawk helicopter involved in the search was also hit by Iranian fire but managed to remain airborne, according to US media reports.
- Defence system:ย Iran said a โnew advanced defence systemโ downed the aircraft, contradicting earlier US claims that its air defences had been destroyed.
- Casualties and damage:ย The human toll continues to rise with at least 2,076 people killed and 26,500 wounded in Iran since the start of the war on February 28, according to Iranian authorities.

In the US
- Trump briefed on downed plane, Iran hunts for pilot:ย Trump has been briefed about the downing of a military jet in Iran that has triggered a major search and rescue operation for a missing crewmember, the White House said. US media reported that another crewmember was rescued.
- Propaganda impact:ย 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 Trumpโs MAGA base. The incident โchanges the propaganda equationโ, even if it does not change the military balance, she told Al Jazeera.
- Trump seeks $1.5 trillion defence budget:ย Trump asked lawmakers to approve a massive $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, as the US faces rising costs from its war with Iran and mounting global security commitments.
In Israel
- Strikes on Israel:ย Iran launched missile attacks on southern Israel, sparking a fire at an industrial site in the Negev region.
- Economic and societal toll:ย Simultaneous conflicts in Iran, Gaza and Lebanonย have cost Israelย an estimated $112bn, leading to significant cracks in the nationโs economy. Daily civilian life remains heavily disrupted, with schools across the country keeping their doors closed.
- Political shifts and public opinion:ย Despite the disruption, 78 percent of Jewish Israelis still support the war against Iran, though pollsters warn this backing could eventually erode. Amidst the ongoing conflict, the Israeli government has lurched further to the right, recently passing a record $271bn budget as well as a highly controversialย death penalty lawย targeting Palestinians.
In Lebanon and Syria
- ย Man killed in Syria:ย State media in Syria said Israeli fire killed a man in the Quneitra province in the countryโs south near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
- Lebanon Front:ย Israel destroyed two critical bridges in Lebanonโs Bekaa Valley, while Hezbollah claimed responsibility for multiple missile strikes against Israeli soldiers and artillery in southern Lebanon.

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