U.S. Air Force loses Warthog attack jet near Hormuz

A second United States Air Force combat aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday as rescue teams continued searching for a missing crew member from a downed F-15E Strike Eagle, according to two U.S. officials cited by The New York Times.

The second aircraft, an A-10 Thunderbolt II, went down near the Strait of Hormuz, and its pilot was safely rescued, the officials said. The crash occurred around the same time that an F-15E was shot down over Iran, where one crew member has already been recovered and search teams continue looking for the second.

Earlier in the day, several A-10 aircraft, also known as Warthog, were reportedly seen operating over Iran in support of the rescue effort, helping secure the likely crash area and isolate it from potential hostile fire.

That mission fits the A-10’s role well. Although best known for close air support, the aircraft is also used to protect rescue corridors, engage ground threats, and provide overwatch for recovery teams working in hostile airspace.

One of the A-10s seen in the area was reportedly armed with two AIM-9 air-to-air missiles, likely carried for self-defense or possible counter-drone use.

That detail suggests the aircraft were not only supporting the rescue effort but also helping keep the airspace and surrounding ground area secure while recovery teams attempted to reach the missing F-15E crew member.

No immediate details have been released on what caused the A-10 crash. It remains unclear whether the aircraft was lost to hostile fire, mechanical failure, or an operational accident during the ongoing mission.

With one aircraft already lost over Iran and a second going down near the Strait of Hormuz, the operational environment appears increasingly dangerous.