A U.S. F-15 fighter jet went down in Iran and a second Air Force plane crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to a U.S. official. Iran launched drone and missile attacks on Gulf refineries, igniting fires at Kuwait's largest facility. The incidents cap a fifth week of intensified U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.
The U.S. official spoke on condition of anonymity as the war entered its fifth week. Iranian state media claimed the Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down the F-15 over Southern Tehran Province and published photos of wreckage. A search-and-rescue operation is underway, with reports indicating at least one of the jet's two pilots has been rescued, according to Israeli journalist Amit Segal and other sources. President Donald Trump was briefed on the situation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday morning. An Iranian broadcaster urged residents to capture any pilots for a reward, The New York Times reported, though U.S. Central Command has previously refuted similar Iranian claims multiple times this week. Iran struck Kuwait's Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, setting units ablaze, with no injuries reported as emergency teams responded. Fires also erupted at the UAE's Habshan gas facility from intercepted debris, while Saudi Arabia downed a dozen drones. Kuwait's army activated air defenses against incoming threats. Israel's Health Ministry reported treating 148 people Friday, mostly for minor injuries, bringing the war total to 6,594. Brent crude oil surged nearly 8% to $109 per barrel amid the Strait of Hormuz blockade by Iran, reducing daily ship traffic from 150 to 10-20 vessels. Trump posted on social media that the strait could soon reopen easily, while 40 countries met virtually Thursday, hosted by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, but reached no agreement on action. French President Emmanuel Macron called Trump's suggestion of force unrealistic.
