How Iran shot down the US F-15 fighter jet. New report details Third Khordad operation

Despite U.S. claims of degraded Iranian missile and drone capabilities, Iran asserts advancements in air defence technology amidst the U.S.-Iran war.

Published on: Apr 5, 2026, 02:50:24 IST

By Shirin Gupta

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Iran has claimed that it deployed a newly developed air defence system to target a U.S. fighter jet. The audacious assertion was made by Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command on state media.

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Iranian state media said that a joint military command spokeswoman stated the nation would "definitely achieve full control" over its skies, Reuters reported.

“Third Khordad” targeted the U.S. F-15 Jet in Iran

The New York Times reported that the country may have used an advanced air defence system, possibly including platforms like the “Third Khordad”, to target the U.S. F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jet during ongoing hostilities.

According to ABC News, other analysts believe Iran detected and targeted the U.S. aircraft using passive infrared detection equipment, which means it tracked the F-15E without transmitting radar signals that U.S. jets can detect and avoid.

Since the war began on February 28, these were the first reported U.S.aircraft losses in Iran. So far in the U.S.-Iran war, the U.S.military has bombed almost 12,300 targets, per the New York Post.

Escalating U.S.-Iran war

U.S. officials have previously claimed that their operations have severely degraded Iran’s missile and drone capabilities. Meanwhile, Iran continues to assert its ability to defend its airspace and strike back effectively.

Reports suggest the F-15 fighter jet went down in southwestern Iran in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province near the Iraqi border.

During a following search for the missing pilot, an A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" attack aircraft was alsostruck. However,it crashed after entering Kuwaiti airspace, allowing the pilot to safely evacuate.

One of the pilots was rescued during the Friday incident, but the other is still missing. The pilots were forced to bail.

Armed Iranian nomads have joined the search for the missing F-15E's weapons systems officer. Officials are reportedly offering a $60,000 bounty and encouraging citizens to participate in the quest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shirin Gupta
Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times. She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues. Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats. Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments. She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More

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