Two US military aircraft hit in Iran war are first to be shot down in more than two decades

WASHINGTON, DC: Iran reportedly shot down two American military aircraft amid the ongoing war on Friday, April 3, making them the first to be hit in more than two decades by an enemy nation, despite President Donald Trump claiming that the American military had “beaten and completely decimated Iran.”

The US and Israel had launched a military operation against Iran in late February, and earlier this week, Trump announced that Tehran’s “ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed.” However, as per the latest reports, Iran struck down a US F15-E Strike Eagle fighter jet as well as a US A-10 attack aircraft.

One US service member missing after Iran hits American military aircraft

One service member aboard the US F15-E Strike Eagle was rescued following the attack in southern Iran, but the whereabouts of the other is still unknown.

As per retired Air Force Brig Gen Houston Cantwell, a former F-16 fighter pilot, the last time an American military aircraft was shot down by enemy fire was in 2003, when an A-10 Thunderbolt II was struck during the US invasion of Iraq. He added, “The fact that this hasn’t happened until now is an absolute miracle. We’re flying combat missions here, they are being shot at every day.”

Expert says Iran's regime is 'fighting for its life'

However, Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran program senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank, has claimed about Iran that “a disabled air defense system is not a destroyed air defense system. We shouldn’t be shocked that they’re still fighting.” 

“This is a regime that is fighting for its life,” Taleblu asserted.

Besides, as per Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the foreign affairs think tank Stimson Center, “Even at the rates at which they’re [Iranians] firing things now, they’re going to be able to sustain it for a while.”

 Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reportedly mocks Trump

Amid this, Iran’s Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has reportedly mocked Trump. He said, “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.”

But the US commander-in-chief has continued to threaten Iran. In a new Truth Social post, he wrote, “Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the World, hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran.”

“Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!” Trump added.