CAIRO/WASHINGTON, — Iranian forces are searching for a missing U.S. pilot after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, escalating tensions as the war enters its sixth week with little progress toward peace.
Two crew members have been rescued, while Iranian forces continue efforts to locate the third. The incidents highlight ongoing risks for U.S. and Israeli aircraft, despite claims by Donald Trump and his defense leadership that airspace control has been achieved.
Iran’s foreign minister signaled openness to peace talks through mediation by Pakistan but emphasized that any agreement must ensure a “conclusive and lasting” end to what Tehran calls an imposed war.
Iran also denied reports that it had refused to attend talks in Islamabad.Iranian fire reportedly brought down a U.S. F-15E jet, while another aircraft crashed after being hit. Rescue helicopters searching for the missing pilot also came under fire but exited Iranian airspace. Iranian authorities said they are combing areas in the southwest and offered rewards for capturing the pilot. Meanwhile, Iranian officials mocked U.S. war objectives, claiming the conflict has shifted from regime change to a search operation. The war has so far killed 13 U.S. service members and wounded over 300, according to U.S. Central Command.
Airstrikes continued across Iran, including hits on a petrochemical zone in the southwest, injuring several people. A projectile also struck near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, killing one person, though operations were unaffected. Iran has partially restricted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route, while allowing vessels carrying essential goods. The conflict has intensified a global energy crisis, prompting European officials to consider windfall taxes on energy companies.
In the region, debris from aerial interceptions landed in Dubai, causing minor damage but no casualties. Israel also reported strikes on targets in Tehran and against Hezbollah-linked sites in Beirut. Oil prices have surged amid uncertainty, with U.S. crude jumping significantly earlier this week following statements by President Trump that offered no clear timeline for ending the conflict.
