According to American media, two of the three pilots have been located and brought to safety Published 3 Apr, 2026 16:48 | Updated 4 Apr, 2026 10:10 © IRIB/social media Welcome to RT’s live coverage of the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has spread across multiple countries in the Middle East, with missile and drone barrages launched by both sides. Iran shot down a US fighter jet over its territory on Friday, prompting a rescue operation for the crew, according to US and Iranian media. According to multiple outlets citing US officials, one of the two crew members of the twin-seat F-15E Strike Eagle has been rescued, while the whereabouts and status of the second remain unknown. A second US military aircraft, a single-seat A-10 Thunderbolt II, managed to leave Iranian airspace before its pilot ejected and was rescued, US media reported. US President Donald Trump has threatened to step up strikes on Iran, saying Iranian power plants could be targeted next. “Our Military… hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done fast!” Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari responded, warning of immediate retaliation if Washington follows through. “If the US proceeds with its threats regarding Iran’s power plants, immediate retaliatory actions will be taken,” he said. The video featured footage of the Stargate UAE project, a major AI infrastructure hub under construction in Abu Dhabi, part of a US-backed initiative led by OpenAI. Zolfaghari said Iran would ”do whatever it takes” to defend its interests, suggesting these projects could become targets. USAF HC-130J and HH-60G Pave Hawks on a deep combat search and rescue for the downed F-15 Strike Eagle crew in Iran. pic.twitter.com/vhCqUupLuz — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 3, 2026 Earlier, Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed ”in the long term” to US and Israeli ships. Trump urged Tehran to ”make a deal before it is too late.” Iranian officials have denied they are seeking a ceasefire or engaging in talks. Latest developments: • Israel reportedly canceled some planned strikes on Iran to avoid interfering with the ongoing rescue operation. • An Iranian drone struck Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery, while the debris from an intercepted UAV set fire to the UAE’s largest gas processing hub, Habshan, authorities in the Gulf state have reported. • Iran has refused a 48-hour ceasefire offer from the US, delivered via a third country, according to Fars news agency. Indirect attempts to secure an armistice have “reached a dead end,” according to the WSJ. • Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said strikes on civilian infrastructure, including bridges, would not force Iran to surrender, calling them a sign of “defeat and moral collapse.” Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updates here. Show latestShow oldest 04 April 2026 08:17 GMT India has dismissed claims that the US-Israeli war on Tehran has disrupted its oil supplies, asserting that imports from Iran and other sources remain unaffected. In a post on X, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said domestic refiners “have secured their crude oil requirements, including from Iran,” adding there are no payment issues for Iranian imports despite online rumors. The news reports and social media posts of an Iranian crude cargo being diverted from Vadinar, India to China due to “payment issues” are factually incorrect. 🇮🇳India imports crude oil from 40+ countries, with companies having full flexibility to source oil from different sources… — Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas #MoPNG (@PetroleumMin) April 4, 2026 The online monitoring group Megatron has shared FlightRadar live tracking footage purportedly showing a large formation of US Air Force C-17 transport aircraft crossing the Atlantic toward the Middle East, alongside KC-135 refueling tankers. The group noted that C-17s transport troops, armored vehicles, and heavy equipment, describing the movement as “the largest visible airlift” by the US since the war began. BREAKING: 🇺🇸🇮🇷 A massive line of US Air Force C-17 transport aircraft is currently crossing the Atlantic toward the Middle East, alongside KC-135 refueling tankers. A second wave is already over Europe heading for the eastern Mediterranean. C-17s carry troops, armored… pic.twitter.com/y3fRDi7xdn — Megatron (@Megatron_ron) April 4, 2026 The US has deployed special forces into Iran to search for the second pilot from a downed fighter jet, The Telegraph reports citing sources. According to the outlet, both crew members ejected, “triggering a search race between Iran and the US,” with one pilot allegedly already recovered by US forces. Earlier, the IRGC claimed it had shot down two US F-35 jets in the past 24 hours, though footage and images suggest the aircraft was an F-15. American sources confirmed the downed jet belonged to the US Air Force. Iran has released footage showcasing what it calls the latest phase of its retaliatory military campaign against the US and Israel. A projectile has struck near Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, killing one person, Tasnim news agency reports. The strike reportedly hit near the facility’s perimeter, damaging an auxiliary building. The main operational units are said to have been unaffected and remain functional. This is the fourth attack on the site since the start of US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. The IAEA earlier warned that any serious damage to the plant – which contains significant radioactive material – could trigger a major nuclear incident with far-reaching consequences. Hegseth has repeatedly invoked his Catholic faith when discussing the conflict, including praying publicly from the Pentagon press room for “overwhelming violence of action” against enemies, and urging Americans to pray “every day, on bended knee” for victory in Iran “in the name of Jesus Christ.” Religious framing, however, has extended beyond Washington, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoking biblical imagery, while Iran has long portrayed its confrontation with the US and Israel as a quasi-religious struggle. The US military’s top Catholic priest, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, has rebuked Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for invoking Jesus to rally support for the war on Iran. “It’s a little bit problematic in the sense that the Lord Jesus certainly brought a message of peace and also, I think, war is always a last resort,” Broglio said in an interview with ‘Face the Nation’. He added that while he may not know all the details behind the strikes on Iran, “I do think that it’s hard to cast this war as something that would be sponsored by the Lord.” The Chief of Chaplains of the United States Military Services, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, has strongly criticized Pete Hegseth regarding the potential for war with Iran. Archbishop Broglio is scheduled to appear on Face the Nation.Follow us | @AlQuds_Times#IranWarpic.twitter.com/tYW2FIW5fT — AL QUDS TIMES (@AlQuds_Times) April 4, 2026 Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari has warned that any attack on Iranian embassies or diplomatic sites will trigger “swift and decisive retaliation” against Israeli facilities in the region, which Tehran would consider “legitimate targets.” Footage posted online by Iran’s Red Crescent shows damage at the Laser and Plasma Research Institute and a girls’ dormitory at Tehran’s Shahid Beheshti University following recent US airstrikes. آمریکا و رژیم صهیونیستی که در حملات خود برخی از دانشگاههای #ایران از جمله #دانشگاه_علم_و_صنعت را هدف قرارداده بودند، امروز نیز #دانشگاه_شهید_بهشتی را هدف حملات خود قرار دادند. pic.twitter.com/xXkyPnrCZl — پاد (@PadDolat) April 3, 2026 PressTV has released timelapse footage showing people in Tehran staging an overnight car rally in support of the government and armed forces, with long lines of vehicles moving through the capital, many adorned with Iranian flags. Tehran residents hold a car rally in support of government, armed forcesFollow https://t.co/B3zXG73Jympic.twitter.com/PaUgfMJwq7 — Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) April 4, 2026 More 03 April 2026 16:50 GMT Unverified footage from Iran purports to show a US HC-130J plane with two helicopters conducting search operations for downed American pilots. USAF HC-130 refueling a pair of HH-60G Pavehawks over Iran while searching for the downed F-15E aircrew today. pic.twitter.com/V5Xgs5Ew5t — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 3, 2026 One crew member from the downed F-15E jet has been rescued, CBS News has reported, citing two US officials. The jet has a crew of two. Search and rescue operations are reportedly continuing. Iran has claimed to have downed another US F-35 latest generation fighter jet. Part of the alleged wreckage posted by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB sports markings that match those used by the US Air Forces in Europe.
The Israeli military has detected a new launch of missiles from Iran, the IDF has said in a statement.
The IRGC has claimed that it had struck an Israeli troop concentration and combat support centers in Western Galilee, Haifa, and other areas of Israel.
Unconfirmed footage on social media purports to show smoke and fire coming from Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery.
#BREAKING: Drones strike Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery.At least two drones hit operational units at the key refinery, triggering fires visible from the site. Emergency teams are battling the blaze. No injuries reported so far.The strike raises fresh concerns about the… pic.twitter.com/sQAIEnFrCc
— SilentFrame (@SilentFrameM) April 3, 2026
The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said that no staff were injured in the Iranian drone strikes on its Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery.
No adverse impact on air quality due to the resulting fires has been detected, it added.
KPC Press Release on this morning's malicious attack on Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery. pic.twitter.com/PUtETo1NVf
— KPC | مؤسسة البترول الكويتية (@kpcofficialkw) April 3, 2026
Iranians living in a southwestern Iranian province have organized search parties for the downed US jet crew, according to footage shared by the Tasnim news agency.
Israeli broadcasters have released footage of interceptions of Iranian missiles over northern Israel.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has mocked the reported downing of the US fighter jet in Iran.
”After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?🥺,’” he wrote on X. “What incredible progress.”
After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from “regime change” to “Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?🥺”Wow. What incredible progress. Absolute geniuses.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 3, 2026
Three members of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have been injured in the south of the country, a UN spokesman has said.
Two of the peacekeepers were seriously wounded, and all have been evacuated to a hospital, UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel has said. “We do not yet know the origin of the explosion.”
At least three Indonesian UNIFIL peacekeepers have been killed in southern Lebanon in the past week, following Israeli strikes. Jakarta has called for an inquiry.
“We demand a direct investigation from the UN, not just Israel’s excuses,” Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Umar Hadi, has said.
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