Iran claimed Friday it shot down a US fighter jet — as it put a bounty on the pilot who Tehran claims was ejected before the attack.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed “newly developed and advanced air defenses” had downed an a fighter jet, which was “completely destroyed and crashed,” Tehran’s Press TV reported.
The anchor of a local affiliate of the state TV broadcaster promised a reward for anyone in the Iranian public who alerts regime authorities to the pilot’s location.
“If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize,” the anchor said, according to the Associated Press.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the United States’ airstrikes on Iran:
- US deploys 3rd aircraft carrier — the USS George HW Bush — to Middle East as Iran war rumbles on
- Trump says war against Iran won’t last ‘much longer’ —Strait of Hormuz will reopen ‘automatically’ after US exit
- US has struck more than 11,000 targets in 30 days of Iran war
- Iran strikes Kuwaiti oil tanker in drone attack off Dubai coast: report
The Pentagon has yet to make a statement on the reports.
Iran has regularly made fraudulent claims of downing American aircraft throughout the monthlong war.
As recently as Thursday, US Central Command issued a statement denying a claim of another reported downing made up by the Iranians.
“FACT: All U.S. fighter aircraft are accounted for. Iran’s IRGC has made the same false claim at least half a dozen times,” the combatant command posted to X — hours before the latest report.
