Second US Air Force jet 'crashes over Iran' but Trump insists the 'shooting down' won't affect talks

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According to the New York Times, the A-10 Warthog attack went down in the Gulf close to the same time that another US aircraft, an Air Force F-15E, was shot down, the New York Times reports.

The solo pilot in the A-10 has reportedly been rescued. However a search party is said to be ongoing to locate one crew member of the F-15E.

One of the two pilots in that jet has already been located by US forces but the search remains ongoing to find the other.

The A-10 Thunderbolt made it to Kuwaiti airspace where the pilot ejected and the aircraft crashed, officials have told NBC News.

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The pilot is safe and the A-10 is down in Kuwait.

Breaking his silence on the matter, President Trump said the "shooting down" of the F-15 will not affect negotiations with Iran.

Asked by NBC if Fridays' events would affect any peace discussions, the US leader said: "No, not at all.

"No, it's war. We're in war."

It is believed the pilots ejected themselves before their aircraft came crashing down.

An image seemingly showing an ejected seat among the alleged wreckage was shared by a local news agency.

US helicopters, planes and reconnaissance drones are now in a race against time to find the pilots, according to state outlet Tasnim.

CBS News reported that two officials have confirmed the first rescue, while the search continues to find the other.

Earlier, a newsreader for an Iranian state TV channel reportedly said that a reward would be issued to anyone who captured the pilots alive.

“Dear and honourable people of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, if you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police and military forces, you will receive a valuable reward and bonus,” the reporter said.

Images from the alleged wreckage, which has not been confirmed by the US military, have been shared via Tasnim.

The pictures appeared to match an F-15 Strike Eagle aircraft based at a British RAF base.

Iran has also shared footage of the alleged search for the pilots showing a helicopter reportedly flying low over southern Iran in an apparent attempt to track down the pilots.

A Tasmin news reporter earlier claimed the US had attempted to extract the pilot after the jet was shot down.

He said that the mission failed and the pilot had likely been captured by Iranian troops.

If confirmed, this would mark the first time since the beginning of the conflict that a US jet has been downed by enemy fire.

It comes weeks after Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency claimed Tehran downed a US F-15 fighter jet over Qeshm Island, in the Strait of Hormuz.

Breaking his silence on the matters, President Trump simply wrote: "KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?"

However, US Central Command (Centcom) denied these reports in a "fact check" on Thursday, claiming "all US fighter aircraft are accounted for."

"CLAIM: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it downed an "enemy" fighter jet over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

"FACT: All U.S. fighter aircraft are accounted for. Iran's IRGC has made the same false claim at least half a dozen times," it wrote on X.

It comes after Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran's power plants following a deadly attack on the country's largest bridge.

The President posted footage of the B1 bridge in Karaj, around 20 miles (32 kilometres) from Tehran, in flames last night.

The startling footage showed the 136 metre high bridge crumbling with photos later emerging of the crossing having been split in two.

In a follow-up post, Mr Trump warned he "hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran. Bridges next, then ​Electric Power Plants".

He added: "New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!"