US time is running out to rescue him

The blow is double: it is the first confirmed loss of a US manned aircraft since the beginning of hostilities and questions the feeling of air superiority that Washington had been projecting.

The announcement of the demolition by the ayatollah regime, about which the Pentagon remained silent, unleashed a campaign against the clock by both parties. On the one hand, Iran put a price on the heads of the two crew members of the aeronave while the US deployed a search operation of its military with planes, helicopters and drones, managing to rescue one of the pilots alive.

Iran shoots down US F-15 during combat mission

Ten billion Tomanswhich is equivalent to 100 billion rials or 76,000 US dollars, is the juicy reward that the governor of the Iranian province of Kohkiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad, where the aircraft supposedly fell, put on the table, in addition to a special recognition”, to who delivers the “criminal American pilot” alive.

While presenters from state television and the agency More They encouraged citizens of the area to locate and capture the survivor United States.

His whereabouts are unknown. The state press of the Islamic Republic published images of fragments of the aircraft and of what looks like an ejection seat that would belong to the fighter. With it, the other pilot managed to catapult himself before impact: it has already been recovered by Washington and is receiving medical attention.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard reported that He was searching an area near the place where the fighter went down and Iranian channels broadcast alleged videos of residents shooting at American helicopters participating in the rescue operation.

The speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagheri Ghalibaf, pointed out by some media as the possible interlocutor with Washington, although he has denied it, he did not miss the opportunity to mock Trump. “After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant war with no strategy that they themselves started has been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can someone find our pilots?’ Please? Wow. What incredible progress. “True geniuses”he ironized in his X profile.

Black day for the US

And this Friday was a black day for the Republican offensive against Tehran. One of the Blackhawks participants in the rescue operation was hit by Iranian fire while a second fighter plane, an A-10 Warthog, crashed in the Persian Gulfvery close to the Strait of Hormuz, almost at the same time as the one shot down in Iran, although in this case its only occupant could be rescued alive.

Tehran has claimed downing of other military aircraft in the five weeks that the war is taking place, but until this Friday none of these alleged attacks had been confirmed nor was there conclusive evidence.

a few days ago, The Iranian Army claimed to have damaged an F-35, while the Pentagon limited itself to pointing out in a statement that the device had to make an emergency landing at a base in the Persian Gulf after a combat mission, without providing details about a possible impact.

According to US media, other US aircraft have been shot down during the conflict, such as three F-15 fighters mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenseswhose six crew members managed to eject safely.

Besidesa KC-135 tanker plane crashed in Iraq, although the cause is still unclear and the US Army maintains that the incident was not due to hostile fire.

Trump, at the crossroads

Hours after the shootdown, the American president said that This incident would not affect the negotiations to end the conflict with Iran, despite the fact that Tehran has already informed Pakistan, which acts as a mediator, that it will not go to Islamabad in the coming days to meet with a US delegation, considering its approaches unacceptable.

Beyond these statements, it will be necessary to See how Trump’s military response comes to fruition to this new setback, after having threatened to “return Iran to the Stone Age.”

Meanwhile, according to a report by New York TimesUS intelligence estimates that Iran is successfully rebuilding its underground bunkers and launch pads attacked during the war, allowing them to become operational again. In addition, it maintains a large arsenal of missiles and launchers.

In recent weeks the president has raised the tone against Tehran to the maximum, promising devastating retaliation if the regime crossed certain red lines. This demolition tests that rhetoric and forces the White House to decide whether to turn the threats into an open military escalation or choose to hold back.

The challenge for Trump is twofold: externally, in the face of an adversary that seeks to exhibit deterrence capacity, and internally, in the face of polarized public opinion and a establishment military who fears being dragged into a full-scale war.

Any gesture, from a limited attack to a prolonged air campaign, will be read as a barometer of your credibility after promising “historic” punishments to the Islamic Republic. The question is whether he will opt for a show of force that supports his speech or a more calibrated response that avoids an even greater regional conflict.

At the same time, The pressure on the Republican increases from his allies and partners in the region, who demand forcefulness but also fear becoming the target of Iranian reprisals.

On that board, Washington’s response after this setback will not only define the next chapter of the fight with Tehran, but also the balance of power in the Middle East and the country itself. image of the president, who has made his continuous threats his narrative of strength.