A US fighter jet was reportedly downed over southwestern Iran on Friday, with Iranian state media claiming the pilot ejected and calling on locals to capture or kill the airman. Footage circulating on social media showed aircraft in the region, prompting an Iranian broadcast channel in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province to urge residents to "shoot them if you see them" and hand over any "enemy pilot" to authorities for a reward. The province, a remote and mountainous area spanning more than 15,500 square kilometres, has become the focal point of a military search operation confirmed by Iran's Fars news agency. Fars stated that "military forces have launched a search operation to find the American fighter pilot who was hit earlier today." The incident marks the first reported downing of a US fighter jet in Iranian territory since the start of hostilities initiated by the United States and Israel on 28 February. The conflict, now in its sixth week, has escalated tensions across the Gulf, with Iran targeting energy infrastructure and restricting oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command, the Pentagon, and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. President Donald Trump said US forces would continue striking Iran "very hard" in the coming weeks.
When Iranian state media tells civilians to shoot a downed pilot on sight, it signals a war no longer confined to military targets. Trump's vow to keep hitting Iran "very hard" now faces a new reality: a captured or killed US pilot could become a propaganda tool or bargaining chip. This incident risks turning a regional conflict into a full-blown international crisis with no clear off-ramp. The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, and every escalation tightens the noose on global energy supplies.
