Rescue operation underway after Iran downs two US fighter jets (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
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. Although Iran claimed it had downed a newer F-35 aircraft, analysts say that images of the wreckage, including an ejection seat, are consistent with an F-15.
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. The announcement came just hours after US forces hit the country’s tallest highway bridge linking Tehran and Karaj, rendering it inoperable.
“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 in a video address, adding that Israeli energy and IT infrastructure – as well as regional companies with American shareholders – would face ”complete and utter annihilation.”
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:
• Trump said he hopes that the pilot of a downed US aircraft will not be captured or harmed by Iranian forces.
• 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.
04 April 2026
06:03 GMTA fire has broken out at an oil storage facility used by foreign companies west of Basra, Iraq following a drone strike, Reuters reports, citing security sources.
Unconfirmed videos circulating online show a massive blaze, with thick plumes of smoke rising from the site.
🇺🇸🇮🇶 Columns of fire and smoke rise from oil storage tanks of an American company in Basra province, southern Iraq. pic.twitter.com/wRH5GMfEte
— RusWar (@ruswar) April 4, 2026- 04:55 GMT
Iran has issued a warning to the US and its regional allies following recent threats by Donald Trump, cautioning that any further targeting of Iranian infrastructure would trigger a “devastating” response.
Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said Iran would strike US and Israeli assets, as well as key infrastructure in countries hosting American military bases, if Washington follows through on threats to attack bridges, power plants, and energy facilities.
He warned that Iran’s armed forces would target “more important and extensive sectors” of US and Israeli interests, including fuel, energy, and economic centers across the region, describing the potential response as “more severe and crushing than ever before.”
It also issued an ultimatum to regional states hosting US forces, urging them to push for a withdrawal or face consequences.
- 04:19 GMT
Efforts by regional mediators to broker a ceasefire between the US and Iran have stalled, with talks reaching a dead end after Tehran rejected proposals and declined to meet US officials in Islamabad, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The mediation push, led by Pakistan with support from Turkey and Egypt, has been hampered by what Iran described as unacceptable US demands, while alternative venues such as Doha and Istanbul are now being considered in an attempt to revive negotiations.
The impasse comes as competing narratives persist, with Washington claiming Iran sought a ceasefire — an assertion Tehran has rejected as “false and baseless” — while reports suggest the US may condition any agreement on steps such as reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, for its part, is reported to be seeking reparations, a US military withdrawal from the region, and guarantees against future attacks.
- 04:02 GMT
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has issued what appeared to be a warning over risks to another key maritime chokepoint — the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Though less central than Hormuz, it remains a key trade artery, carrying roughly 5% of global oil flows and forming part of the Suez Canal route that handles about 12% of world seaborne trade.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf pointed to the volume of critical commodities passing through the route, asking what share of global oil, LNG, wheat, rice and fertilizer shipments move via the Bab el-Mandeb, and which countries and companies rely on it most.
What share of global oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertilizer shipments transits the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait?Which countries and companies account for the highest transit volumes through the strait? 🤔
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 3, 2026Security concerns around the strait have intensified since Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, entered the conflict, raising fears over potential disruption to shipping in the Red Sea corridor.
- 03:57 GMT
An explosion struck a building belonging to the Christian organization “Christians for Israel” in the Dutch town of Nijkerk late on Friday evening, police said, adding that no injuries were reported.
Authorities said the material damage was limited and an investigation is underway, with no suspects identified so far. The premises, which serve as an Israel center hosting a shop, prayer space and media facilities, have previously been targeted during demonstrations and incidents of vandalism. - 03:38 GMT
The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has accused the International Atomic Energy Agency of effectively enabling US and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying the watchdog’s failure to respond amounts to “clear complicity.” The official added that protest letters have been sent to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, warning that the agency’s “historic negligence” is further undermining its already diminished credibility.
Since February 28, US-Israeli strikes have targeted key elements of Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran insists is peaceful, including the Natanz uranium enrichment facility and nuclear infrastructure in Isfahan, while projectiles have also been reported striking areas near the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
The IAEA’s silence on US and Zionist regime’s attacks on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities is not merely inaction but clear complicity with the perpetrators. AEOI Chief has sent protest letters to the DG.This historic negligence erodes the @iaeaorg little remaining credibility.
— Atomic Energy Organization Of Iran (@aeoi_ir) April 3, 2026 - 03:32 GMT
Dubai officials said debris from an aerial interception struck the exterior of an Oracle building in Dubai Internet City, adding that no injuries were reported.
The company had previously been named among a group of US firms that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it could target in response to attacks on the country.
Authorities confirm that they responded to a minor incident caused by debris from an aerial interception that fell on the facade of the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City. No injuries were reported.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 4, 2026
