Iranian state-linked media on Friday claimed that a US fighter pilot had been downed and possibly captured inside the country, as conflicting reports emerged amid an intensifying regional conflict. There has been no immediate confirmation from Washington, with the US Central Command, the Pentagon and the White House yet to respond.
According to Iranian outlets, the pilot ejected after a US stealth jet was struck over central Iran. Reports varied on the pilot’s fate, with some suggesting survival and others indicating the impact made survival unlikely. A local Iranian television channel went further, urging civilians to capture the “enemy pilot alive”, offering what it described as a “valuable reward”.
