Iran Claims US Pilot Ejected Over Southwestern Iran

A channel affiliated with Iranian state television claimed on April 3, 2026, that a U.S. Fighter pilot ejected from an aircraft over southwestern Iran.

The reported incident occurred in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, a mountainous and rural region spanning more than 15,500 square kilometers. The Iranian television anchor urged local residents to locate any enemy pilot and hand them over to the police, promising a reward for anyone who did.

An on-screen crawl broadcast by the channel earlier instructed the public to shoot them if you see them, referring to circulating social media footage of suspected U.S. Aircraft in the area. During the announcement, the channel showed footage of metal debris in the back of a pickup truck, though it provided no further immediate details regarding the aircraft or the cause of the ejection.

The White House, the Pentagon, and U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and no official U.S. Confirmation of the claim has been provided.

Conflict Context and Reliability

The claim comes as the conflict between the U.S. And Iran nears the end of its fifth week. Throughout the war, Iran has made a series of claims about shooting down piloted enemy aircraft that were later found to be untrue. April 3, 2026, marked the first time Iran has used state television to urge the public to search for a suspected downed pilot.

The reported ejection follows a series of escalations in the region. On April 3, 2026, U.S. Airstrikes struck the B1 bridge in the town of Karaj, west of Tehran. Iranian state media reported that the bridge, which was still under construction, was hit, resulting in at least eight deaths and 95 injuries.

on April 2, 2026, Israeli security forces and rescue teams inspected a site in Petah Tikva, Israel, that had been struck by an Iranian missile.