PoliticsWorldHOTSunday, April 5, 2026

Iran Claims Downing of US C-130 and F-15 Aircraft; Conflicting Reports Emerge on C-130 Incident

Iranian state media has reported that its air defense systems successfully targeted and downed a U.S. A-10 "Warthog" aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that a second aircraft went down in the Middle East on Friday, though specific details beyond that were attributed to Iranian reports. The pilot of the A-10 aircraft reportedly ejected safely and was rescued. This incident follows earlier reports of an F-15 fighter jet being downed, with the A-10 said to be involved in a search operation for its pilot. Separately, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have shot down a broader array of targets, including two US and Israeli fighter jets, two cruise missiles, three drones (MQ-9 and Hermes types), two C-130 military transport aircraft, and two Black Hawk helicopters across various regions including Isfahan and Bushehr. Iran has characterized Friday as a "black day" for the American and Israeli air forces.

2 Updates

Update #3\u00b7 Apr 7 · 12:46 PM

New reports indicate that at least 9 US Air Force aircraft have been destroyed in the ongoing conflict with Iran. It is now specified that an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over central Iran on April 3rd. Furthermore, two transport aircraft, intended for a rescue mission for the F-15E crew, were unable to take off due to technical faults and were subsequently destroyed by US forces to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Photos of wreckage in central Iran reportedly confirm these destructions.

Update #2\u00b7 Apr 5 · 3:31 PM

Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims to have shot down a US C-130 support aircraft in Isfahan, southern Iran, with Iran's Tasnim news agency attributing the destruction to a police special forces unit. However, social media and American reports present a conflicting account, suggesting the C-130 was involved in a rescue mission for a missing pilot from a US F-15 fighter jet that was previously shot down over Iran, and that US forces prevented the C-130 from falling into Iranian hands.

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