A local Iranian state television channel claimed on Friday that a US fighter pilot had ejected from an aircraft over southwestern Iran, news agency Associated Press reported. The United States did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The AP report added that the anchor on the channel read the following announcement: “If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize.”
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB urged people in Iran to capture US pilot or pilots and hand them over alive to military forces in exchange for a reward, following unconfirmed reports of a US fighter jet crash in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En)
An on-screen crawl separately urged the public to “shoot them if you see them,” referring to social media footage circulating of what appeared to be US aircraft in the area. The channel did not provide additional details. US Central Command, the Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Iranian media also said helicopters and a C-130 aircraft were seen in the area, suggesting a possible search-and-rescue operation, but this could not be confirmed.
It would be the first time since the beginning of the war that a US jet was downed by enemy fire, Axios reported.
The television channel in Iran’s Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province initially urged viewers who see Americans to “shoot them as soon as you see them.” Later, the message changed, citing a police statement asking the public to hand over any downed American pilots alive to security agencies to “receive a precious prize.”
The anchor also called on residents to cooperate with authorities in locating the pilots. The province lies about 500 kilometres southwest of Tehran, with Yasuj as its capital, and is largely rural and mountainous, with a population of around 600,000. Iranian media also aired footage showing metal debris in a pickup truck and shared images of what appeared to be American aircraft flying over the area.
Around the same time Friday afternoon, a major explosion from an airstrike struck Iran’s capital, Tehran. It was not immediately clear what had been hit. Earlier in the day, Iranian missiles reportedly set a refinery ablaze and damaged a desalination plant in Kuwait.
Shrapnel from a missile interception in Abu Dhabi’s Ajban area injured at least 12 people, officials said. Seven of those hurt were from Nepal, and five were Indian nationals. Churches in the UAE also announced closure for Easter Sunday following government orders amid the ongoing conflict.
Israel’s military said it would establish new defensive lines inside Lebanon to prevent direct fire on northern communities. Army spokesman Nadav Shoshani said Israel aims to control areas posing an “imminent threat” and claimed that at least have been killed since the operation began.
The CMA CGM Kribi, sailing under a Malta flag and operated by French shipping giant CMA CGM, became possibly the first France-linked vessel to pass through the Data from MarineTraffic showed the ship departing waters off Dubai and arriving near Muscat, Oman.
Traffic through the strait has dropped by about 90% since the conflict began, with roughly 150 vessels transiting since March 1, mostly linked to Iran, China, India and Pakistan.
Civilian casualties in Iran have largely occurred near government-linked or military sites rather than indiscriminate urban bombardment, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED). Iran reported at least 1,973 deaths since the start of the war. The deadliest attack occurred on Feb. 28 near a Revolutionary Guard base, killing over 160 civilians, most of them children.
Iranian drones struck Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi refinery, sparking fires. Kuwait also reported damage to a desalination plant, a critical infrastructure source, as around 90% of its drinking water comes from desalination.
warned Iran over reports that children as young as 12 were being recruited into the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij force. The organisation said deploying child soldiers at checkpoints and patrols puts them at serious risk of death or injury.
(With inputs from AP)
