Iran Downs 2 US Warplanes As Conflict Enters Day 36, Rescue Ops Underway

Iran has claimed responsibility for shooting down two US warplanes as the conflict involving the United States and Israel entered day 36, marking a major escalation.

Two American crewmembers were rescued and one airman remains missing after a F-15E Strike Eagle went down over Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces and an A-10 Warthog crashed into the Gulf, according to US media reports.

Iranians gathered in Tehran to celebrate what authorities described as a major military success.

Iranian officials said the downing of the aircraft demonstrates that Tehran still has the capability to confront US and Israeli forces, despite claims by the Trump administration that the country’s military infrastructure has been severely damaged.

US forces have launched search and rescue operations for the missing crewmember. A US Black Hawk helicopter involved in the operation was also hit by Iranian fire but remained airborne, according to US media reports.

Iran said a “new advanced defence system” downed the aircraft, contradicting earlier US claims that its air defences had been destroyed.

The human toll continues to rise, with at least 2,076 people killed and 26,500 wounded in Iran since the start of the war on February 28, according to Iranian authorities.

On the diplomatic front, Iran’s semi-official news agency Fars reported that Tehran rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire. The United States has not confirmed the report.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian questioned US intent on diplomacy and accused Washington of hypocrisy following a recent attack that killed the wife of a senior Iranian official. He also raised concerns over US President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb Iran and urged the international community to respond.

In the Gulf region, an Egyptian national was killed and four others were injured after a fire at a gas complex in Abu Dhabi caused by falling debris from an intercepted attack, authorities said.

Kuwait reported strikes on an oil refinery and a desalination plant, though Iran denied targeting the water facility.

In Bahrain, four people were injured and several homes were damaged in the Sitra area after debris from an intercepted drone fell, the Ministry of Interior said.

In the United States, the White House said President Donald Trump was briefed on the downing of the aircraft. US media reported that one crewmember has been rescued.

Trump has also sought approval from lawmakers for a $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, citing rising war costs and global security commitments.

In Israel, Iranian missile strikes targeted southern regions and caused a fire at an industrial site in the Negev.

The ongoing conflicts in Iran, Gaza and Lebanon have cost Israel an estimated $112 billion and disrupted daily life, with schools remaining closed across the country.

In Syria, state media reported that Israeli fire killed a man in Quneitra province near the Golan Heights.

In Lebanon, Israel destroyed two bridges in the Bekaa Valley, while Hezbollah claimed missile strikes on Israeli positions in the south.

The conflict has also impacted global energy and food supplies. Australia has warned of petrol shortages, while the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said its Food Price Index rose 2.4 percent in March.