Azernews.Az

Two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport aircraft have been shot down over Iran’s Isfahan province during an operation to rescue the pilot of a U.S. F-15 fighter jet, according to Iranian sources, AzerNEWS reports.

Iran’s Armed Forces Headquarters Khatam al-Anbiya released a statement confirming the incident.

According to the statement, Iran launched a coordinated response to ongoing U.S. military operations. The operation reportedly involved multiple branches, including air force units, ground troops, volunteer forces, the Basij militia, and police personnel.

It should be noted that on February 28, the United States and Israel initiated military operations against Iran. Strikes were carried out on major cities, including Tehran. The White House justified the attacks by citing missile and nuclear threats originating from the Islamic Republic.

Iranian authorities claim that the strikes resulted in the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other senior figures. In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a large-scale retaliatory operation against Israel.

Iran has also reportedly targeted U.S. positions across the region, including in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The conflict has placed regional energy infrastructure and maritime transport under severe risk. Security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have triggered a sharp increase in global oil prices. Iran is said to have tightened control over the strategic waterway, allowing only selected vessels to pass.