Updated April 6, 2026 Foreign Policy & War
Serious Rights Violation Reported record
F-15E Shot Down Over Iran: Massive Rescue Operation Raises Escalation and Press Freedom Concerns
The shootdown of a US F-15E over Iran and the massive rescue operation that followed document the intensity and cost of the 2026 Iran war. The rescue itself was a legitimate military operation, but …
- On April 3, 2026, a US F-15E Strike Eagle of the 494th Fighter Squadron was shot down over the interior of Iran.
- A 36-hour race ensued to locate and extract the weapons systems officer before Iranian forces could capture him. He was found in a mountain …