Iran strikes second U.S. military aircraft as pilot ejects and is rescued
- Apr 4
- 1 min read
JEDDAH, April 4, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - A second U.S. military aircraft, an A-10 Thunderbolt II, was struck by Iran on Friday, forcing the pilot to eject after flying the plane out of Iranian territory, a U.S. official familiar with the matter told CNN.
The pilot was later rescued, the official said.
Iran’s military said the aircraft crashed into the Persian Gulf after its air defense systems targeted it near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media.
The reported incident came the same day an F-15E was brought down over Iran. One service member was recovered in a search-and-rescue mission, while the fate of the second crew member remained unclear.
The A-10, also known as the Warthog, is a single-seat aircraft and had been flying missions over Iran for several weeks.
