A U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthog attack plane crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to two U.S. officials cited by the New York Times. The pilot was safely rescued.
The crash happened around the same time that an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran. One crew member from the F-15E has been rescued, while search teams continue to look for the second.
The A-10 went down in the Persian Gulf region close to the strategic waterway. U.S. officials did not provide an immediate cause for the crash. It remains unclear whether the aircraft was lost to hostile fire, a mechanical problem, or another type of accident.
The A-10, often called the Warthog, is a single-seat, twin-engine jet built for close air support. The aircraft has been used in the region in recent weeks to target Iranian fast-attack boats and drones operating near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon has not issued an official statement on the crash. Newsweek reported that Department of Defense officials did not immediately return a request for additional information.
Iranian state-linked media offered a different account. The Iranian Students‘ News Agency (ISNA), citing the Iranian military, said Iran‘s air defense systems shot down the A-10. ISNA described the plane as an “enemy” warplane that was intercepted in waters south of the strait. U.S. officials have not confirmed that account.
The crash follows a series of U.S. military operations in the area. Earlier in the day, several A-10 aircraft were seen operating over Iran in support of rescue efforts for the downed F-15E crew, according to defence blog reports. Those aircraft helped secure the area and protect rescue teams from hostile fire.
One of the A-10s in the area was reportedly armed with AIM-9 air-to-air missiles, likely for self-defense or counter-drone missions.
The loss of two U.S. combat aircraft in a short period marks an escalation in the region. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, and tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been high for months.
The U.S. has deployed additional A-10s to the region in recent weeks via RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. Those aircraft have been conducting patrols targeting Iranian small boats and drones that have effectively closed the strait to much commercial shipping.
No further details about the A-10 crash have been released. U.S. officials have not said whether the pilot sustained any injuries or where the rescue took place.