Iran claims to have shot down US C-130 support aircraft in Isfahan

Iran’s claim followed confirmation by United States President Donald Trump that the military had successfully rescued the second crew member of an F-15 fighter jet, who had gone missing after the aircraft was shot down by Iran during the West Asia conflict.

Iran on Sunday claimed it had downed a US C-130 support aircraft in the southern region of Isfahan.

According to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, citing Iranian police, the aircraft was brought down “by heavy fire from a police special forces unit.”

Meanwhile, some early US reports circulating on social media suggested that, during an operation to rescue a second crew member of an F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iran, American forces destroyed their own aircraft to prevent it from “falling into Iranian hands.” 

The United States has not yet issued any official response to the claims made by Iran.

Iran’s claim followed confirmation by United States President Donald Trump that the military had successfully rescued the second crew member of an F-15 fighter jet, who had gone missing after the aircraft was shot down by Iran during the West Asia conflict.

In a post on social media portal Truth Social, Trump called it the "most daring" search and rescue operation for the US military, stating that the government will "not leave a warfighter behind."

He added that the US military deployed dozens of aircraft equipped with the “most lethal weapons” for the second rescue operation, after two Black Hawk helicopters came under attack from local Iranian groups.

Tensions in the region have intensified since the US and Israel carried out a joint offensive on Iran on February 28, which has so far resulted in over 1,340 deaths, including that of then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In response, Tehran has launched drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf nations hosting US military assets. It has also imposed restrictions on maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz.