Day 37: F-15E Crew Rescued After Fierce Firefight As Trump Demands Strait Of Hormuz Reopen — Strikes Escalate Across Gulf

The missing crew member from a US F-15E downed over Iran has been located and rescued after an intense firefight, US President Donald Trump announced, while he issued a 48-hour ultimatum to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The region remains volatile: Iran and allied groups report multiple strikes and downed drones, Gulf states report infrastructure damage, and energy markets are reacting to disrupted flows.

Latest Developments

Rescue Operation

US officials, including President Trump, said the second crew member of the F-15E was rescued after a prolonged and fierce firefight. A US government official speaking to Al Jazeera said the operation involved hundreds of special operations personnel. Iranian authorities have not issued a detailed public account of the rescue.

Iranian Military Claims

Iran's state-aligned media and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said they shot down a US aircraft searching for the missing airman and destroyed an MQ-9 Reaper drone near Isfahan. Fars news agency published images of smoke at the reported site and called the episode a setback for US forces. These claims are reported by Iranian outlets and have not been independently verified.

Civilian Casualties And Damage

Iranian sources report at least five people killed and roughly 170 wounded in strikes on the Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone. Additional strikes in Ardabil province were reported to have killed three people. Several Gulf states — Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE — reported damage to infrastructure after missile and drone attacks; most local authorities reported no large-scale civilian casualties from those specific incidents.

The Iranian state media released image of fragments of a downed US jet in this picture said to be taken in central Iran [Handout/IRIB via Reuters]

Bushehr Nuclear Plant And Evacuations

Russia said it evacuated another 200 staff from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant after a deadly attack on the site's perimeter. Iran's foreign minister warned that attacks on nuclear sites risk exposing the broader region to radioactive contamination.

Regional Military Movements

Israel reported incoming missiles from Yemen and said air-defence systems were intercepting threats. Yemen's Houthi movement, along with Iran-backed groups and Hezbollah, claimed coordinated strikes on Israeli targets. Israel continued operations across Lebanon, including strikes in Tyre and Maarakeh, and ordered evacuations in some border areas amid concerns about Hezbollah activity.

Economic And Energy Impact

OPEC ministers prepared to meet to decide May output as crude prices remain above $100 a barrel amid what sources describe as the largest oil supply disruption on record. Iran's partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted exports; Tehran said it would permit Iraqi shipping through the strait while maintaining a broader blockade.

Other Notable Developments

• Planet Labs said it will indefinitely withhold satellite imagery of Iran and the conflict zone in response to a US government request.
• The US State Department said two people identified as relatives of the slain Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani were arrested after residency permits were rescinded; Iranian media quoted family members denying the relation.
• Authorities in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE reported fires and damage at industrial and government sites following drone and missile strikes; many of these reports came from local ministries and remain subject to further verification.

Note: Many battlefield claims are coming from parties to the conflict and state-aligned media; independent verification is limited and the situation remains fluid.

We will continue to monitor official statements and independent reporting as events develop.