Iran’s Joint National Air Defense Headquarters has claimed that its forces have shot down more than 160 drones and several advanced fighter jets and cruise missiles. Brigadier General Alireza Elhami, quoted by the state news agency IRNA, said the operations were carried out using modern domestic technology capable of detecting and destroying fifth-generation aircraft and advanced unmanned aerial vehicles.

Elhami stated that the success in downing these aircraft, including Hermes and Lucas-type drones, was achieved through new tactics, modern equipment, and innovations in defense systems. He added that these advancements have confused enemy forces attempting to penetrate Iranian airspace.

The report highlights Iran’s emphasis on self-reliant defense capabilities and technological innovation in response to aerial threats, though no independent verification of the claims was mentioned in the source.

A US expert has said that if Iran manages to capture the crew member of a downed American warplane, it would represent a major strategic reward for Tehran. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, Laurel Rapp, director of the US and North America program at Chatham House, described the mission to recover the missing crew member as extremely important.

Rapp explained that detaining the US service member would give Iran a powerful bargaining tool. She added that if images of the captured crew were released, it could further damage public perception of an already unpopular war in the United States and potentially shift American attitudes dramatically.

Rapp also warned that such a capture could undermine efforts to de-escalate the conflict, as it might signal that hostage-taking can be used effectively to exert pressure. She noted that the current mission’s objectives remain unclear and increasingly complex.

Arab-British Understanding Council Director Chris Doyle told Al Jazeera that Iran’s downing of a US fighter jet marked a significant moment for Tehran’s global standing. He said the incident demonstrated Iran’s ability to directly challenge the military dominance of the United States, showing that it could engage both symmetrically and asymmetrically in the conflict.

Doyle noted that while the war was initially expected to end quickly, the situation has shifted dramatically. He described apparent disarray within the White House and Pentagon, citing reports of Defense Secretary Hegseth dismissing generals as a sign of weakened US leadership. Unlike past US operations that risked “mission creep,” Doyle said this time the United States is experiencing “mission contraction.” The initial goal of regime change in Iran has been abandoned, with President Donald Trump and other leaders now saying they no longer seek it.

According to Doyle, Iran appears more organized and deliberate in its strategy. He warned that if Washington fails to regain control, its international credibility could suffer further, especially after the costly F-15 jet was shot down.

Iran has rejected a United States proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, according to a report by Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency. The diplomatic offer was reportedly conveyed on Wednesday through an unnamed intermediary country. The United States has not yet issued any comment regarding the authenticity or details of the proposal.

The report comes at a time of heightened military tension. Citing sources, Fars News stated that Washington had intensified its diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire following an Iranian attack on a US military warehouse located on Kuwait’s Bubiyan Island. Instead of issuing a written response, Iran reportedly continued its military operations as a form of reply.

The report did not specify which country acted as the intermediary or provide further details on the ongoing conflict or diplomatic exchanges.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed deep concern over multiple attacks on healthcare facilities in Iran, including an airstrike on a major center in Tehran. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Pasteur Institute, a key public health and research facility in the capital, was heavily damaged and unable to operate normally. The organization confirmed at least 20 attacks on health institutions across Iran.

Iran’s state news agency ISNA reported that the Pasteur Institute has not completely halted operations, continuing vaccine and serum production. Photos shared by the Iranian Health Ministry showed extensive destruction of the building. Established in 1920, the institute is one of Iran’s oldest public health institutions and plays a vital role during emergencies, according to WHO.

Tedros also called for emergency assistance for health systems in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, citing widespread conflict that has displaced about four million people and caused thousands of deaths and injuries. WHO has appealed for $30.3 million in emergency funding to strengthen healthcare, trauma response, and preparedness for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.

US special forces reportedly entered Iran on Friday night to search for a missing crew member from a downed F-15 fighter jet, according to a report by The Telegraph. The aircraft was shot down by Iranian forces after entering Iranian airspace. While one crew member was rescued during a separate operation involving two US military helicopters and a refueling aircraft, the second pilot remained missing as of Friday night.

The report noted that neither the US nor Iranian armed forces had officially confirmed the entry of US special forces into Iran at the time of publication. Iranian state media released footage showing local militias conducting searches for the missing airman and offering a $60,000 reward for his capture. Officials said both US helicopters were hit by Iranian fire during the rescue attempt, though one managed to return safely to Iraqi airspace.

The incident has intensified tensions between the two countries as both sides continue efforts to locate the missing pilot.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has issued an implicit warning regarding the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime passage linking the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The statement came on Saturday through a post on social media platform X, where Ghalibaf questioned how much of the world’s oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertilizer shipments pass through the strait and which countries and companies rely most on it. His remarks were interpreted as a clear caution to commercial vessels operating in the area.

The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, though less critical than the Strait of Hormuz, remains a vital route for global maritime trade, handling around 14 percent of commercial shipments, including about 5 percent of global oil supply. The strait’s security has been a growing concern for industries since Iran-backed Houthi forces, who control large parts of Yemen, became involved in regional conflicts. Iran has already maintained effective control over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts note that instability around Bab al-Mandeb could further strain global shipping and energy supply routes if tensions escalate.

The Pentagon has confirmed that 13 US soldiers have been killed and 365 others injured so far in the ongoing war involving Iran. Among the injured are 247 members of the army, 63 navy sailors, 19 marines, and 36 air force personnel. The report was released on April 4, 2026.

According to the Pentagon, seven of the fatalities occurred at the hands of opposing forces, six were killed in Iranian attacks in Kuwait, and one soldier died in Saudi Arabia after being wounded. The report did not clarify whether any crew members from US warplanes downed or attacked by Iranian forces on Friday were included in the casualty figures.

The information was sourced from Xinhua, and further details about the extent of US aircraft losses or additional casualties remain unclear.

Iran has claimed that its air defense forces shot down a US A-10 Warthog fighter jet near the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian state television, the aircraft was destroyed through an air defense strike. The incident follows a report from Friday that another US F-15E Strike Eagle jet had crashed inside Iranian territory.

CBS News reported that the A-10 Warthog was participating in a rescue mission for the downed F-15E when it came under attack. It remains unclear whether the aircraft mentioned by Iran and the one cited by CBS are the same. During the rescue attempt, two additional US aircraft were also targeted, and the A-10 pilot ejected into the sea before being rescued. One of two helicopters involved in the operation was hit by small-arms fire, injuring several crew members, though it landed safely. The search for the second F-15E pilot continues.

US President Donald Trump told NBC News that the incident would not affect potential talks with Iran, describing it as part of wartime realities. The White House confirmed that the president had been fully briefed on the situation.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, announced that a US warplane was recently shot down using Iran’s new advanced defense system. In a televised statement, he said the aircraft was targeted south of Qeshm Island and crashed into the waters between Qeshm and Hengam islands. Zolfaghari argued that the incident disproves former US President Donald Trump’s claim that the United States had destroyed Iran’s air defense network.

The event is being portrayed as a demonstration of Iran’s growing military capability. It occurred against the backdrop of heightened political and military tension in the Middle East, where US air operations have been active. The report did not include any US response or independent verification of the incident.

The development may further strain US-Iran relations and influence ongoing regional security dynamics if confirmed, though details remain limited.

Major US media outlets reported that one crew member from an American fighter jet downed over Iran has been rescued. According to AFP from Washington, citing unnamed sources, Axios and CBS News said US special forces recovered one of the two crew members, while search operations continue for the second. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal identified the aircraft as an F-15E model, which typically carries a pilot and a weapons systems officer.

CNN reported that analysis of wreckage photos published by Iranian media also suggested the aircraft was an F-15, though some Iranian sources claimed it was an F-35 stealth jet. US media further noted that President Donald Trump has been briefed on the incident, but there has been no official comment from the White House or the Pentagon.

Reports added that specialized US forces are conducting rescue operations near the suspected crash site, with social media and Iranian outlets showing low-flying US helicopters and aircraft in the area.

Iranian media have reported that a U.S. fighter jet crashed inside Iran, leaving two American pilots missing. The incident occurred in the western region of the country, and Iranian authorities have announced a reward for anyone who can locate the missing pilots. According to the reports, the pilots ejected and landed in separate areas, prompting U.S. rescue operations.

Iranian sources claim that clashes took place between U.S. forces and Iranian ground troops during the attempted rescue, resulting in American casualties. State television in Iran has called on citizens to assist in finding the pilots and announced a reward of 10 billion tomans, approximately 64,000 U.S. dollars.

If Iran succeeds in capturing the missing pilots, it could mark a significant turning point in the ongoing conflict, as it would be the first instance of U.S. prisoners of war in the confrontation.

A US official has confirmed that an American warplane was shot down in Iranian airspace, according to reports from Axios, Reuters, and The New York Times, as cited by BBC on April 3, 2026. The official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, stated that rescue operations are ongoing to locate the aircraft’s crew. The Wall Street Journal also reported that the United States is conducting an active mission to recover the crew members.

Earlier, Iranian media claimed that a US warplane had been downed and that the United States was attempting to rescue the pilot. Iran has since asserted that the American rescue attempt to recover the pilot has failed. The incident has drawn attention from multiple international outlets, highlighting rising tensions surrounding the event.

Rescue efforts continue as both sides maintain differing accounts of the situation, and no further details about the aircraft type or the number of crew members have been disclosed.

Former Human Rights Watch chief Kenneth Roth has warned that any US attack on Iran’s civilian infrastructure, particularly power plants or water desalination facilities, would amount to a war crime. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Roth said that if former US President Donald Trump carried out his threats to strike such sites, it would clearly violate international humanitarian law.

Roth, now a visiting professor at Princeton University, explained that such attacks would lack legitimate military justification and cause disproportionate harm to civilians. He cited the International Criminal Court’s previous actions against Russian commanders for similar strikes in Ukraine as precedent.

Roth further noted that more than 100 international law experts share this assessment, emphasizing that any such move would undoubtedly be treated as a war crime under international standards.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has described U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to send Iran “back to the Stone Age” as an indication of possible large-scale war crimes. According to Al Jazeera, Pezeshkian said such statements reveal an intent to cause massive destruction, which could be considered a serious violation of international law.

Referring to his discussion with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Pezeshkian noted that he had raised the issue with his Finnish counterpart, who is a legal expert. He added that history contains many examples where silence in the face of crimes has come at a great cost.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions following reports of a U.S. acknowledgment of an Iranian warplane being shot down and warnings that any attack on Iran’s power facilities would constitute a war crime.