TEHRAN, April 4, 2026
Two U.S. fighter jets were shot down during hostilities with Iran, with one pilot captured by Iranian forces and another escaping to safety, according to multiple confirmed reports. The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that a U.S. pilot was taken into custody after ejecting from a downed aircraft. Meanwhile, the pilot of an A-10 fighter jet managed to steer the damaged plane into Kuwaiti airspace and survived. The New York Times separately confirmed a U.S. A-10 crashed in the Persian Gulf, with its pilot rescued. U.S. Central Command has not commented on Iran’s claim that a second jet was downed over the Persian Gulf. President Donald Trump stated the incidents would not impact negotiations with Tehran, saying in German: "Nein, überhaupt nicht" ("No, not at all"). The fate of the captured pilot remains unclear as tensions persist between the two nations. No further details about the aircraft or operational context were immediately available.