Iran military says destroyed US aircraft involved in search for airman

## Summary
An E-2D Hawkeye surveillance aircraft launches from the flight deck of the US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran on Mar 31, 2026. (File photo: Reuters/US Navy) 05 Apr 2026 04:07PM (Updated: 05 Apr 2026 04:11PM) Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST TEHRAN: Iran's military said on Sunday (Apr 5) that it destroyed three US aircraft involved in a search operation for a crew member of a downed American fighter jet. Iran and the US had been racing since Friday to locate a second crew member of an F-15E before US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the officer had been recovered in a search and rescue operation. "The enemy's intruding aircraft in southern Isfahan - including two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport aircraft - were struck and are now burning," the military's central command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, said. Also read: US rescues airman from Iran as Trump, Israel ratchet up pressure Iran hunts crew of crashed US jet, one reported rescued Source: AFP/co Sign up for our newsletters Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Subscribe here Get the CNA app Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Download here Get WhatsApp alerts Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app Join here Related Topics War on Iran United States Iran Donald Trump Advertisement Also worth reading Content is loading...

## Article Content
Advertisement
World
Iran military says destroyed US aircraft involved in search for airman
Two US Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport aircraft were among those struck, says Iran’s military.
An E-2D Hawkeye surveillance aircraft launches from the flight deck of the US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran on Mar 31, 2026. (File photo: Reuters/US Navy)
05 Apr 2026 04:07PM
(Updated: 05 Apr 2026 04:11PM)
Bookmark
Bookmark
Share
WhatsApp
Telegram
Facebook
Twitter
Email
LinkedIn
Set CNA as your preferred source on Google
Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
TEHRAN: Iran's military said on Sunday (Apr 5) that it destroyed three US aircraft involved in a
search operation
for a crew member of a downed American fighter jet.
Iran and the US had been racing since Friday to locate a second crew member of an F-15E before US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the officer had been recovered in a search and rescue operation.
"The enemy's intruding aircraft in southern Isfahan - including two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport aircraft - were struck and are now burning," the military's central command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, said.
It added that the rescue operation had "failed".
State media shared images of charred wreckage scattered across a desert area, with smoke still emanating from the site.
Iranian media reported that strikes during the rescue operation killed five people in southwestern Iran, though it was not immediately clear whether they were civilians or military personnel.
Since Friday, Iranian media have also shared footage showing local residents, some carrying flags and rifles, searching for the pilot after authorities announced bounties for information.
Early on Sunday, Trump said the second crew member was "safe and sound" following the operation.
Also read:
US rescues airman from Iran as Trump, Israel ratchet up pressure
Iran hunts crew of crashed US jet, one reported rescued
Source: AFP/co
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Subscribe here
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Download here
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Join here
Related Topics
War on Iran
United States
Iran
Donald Trump
Advertisement
Also worth reading
Content is loading...
Advertisement
Expand to read the full story
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST

---

## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
N/A

### Expert Commentary
This article covers iran, military, aircraft topics. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 471.