The latest news reveals that another US aircraft, an A-10, was shot down in the Middle East by Iranian forces.
As reported, it is the second US aircraft that was crashed by Iran's air defense system in a row.
Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Iran's military officials claim that several aircraft were also destroyed in the south of Iran's Isfahan province during a U.S. mission to find a stranded airman.
The officials confirmed the downing of two C-130 planes and two Black Hawk helicopters belonging to the U.S. state. Television broadcast footage of wreckage, saying it belonged to one of the planes.
This claim comes hours after US President Donald Trump says the American officer who went missing in Iran after the downing of his F-15E fighter jet has been rescued and is “now safe and sound."
On the contrary, the U.S. officials told Reuters late on Saturday that a second airman whose F-15 jet was downed on Friday in Iran was rescued, a day after the first crew member was recovered.
"Additional investigations by experts on the ground revealed that two C-130 military transport planes and two Black Hawk helicopters of the US army were destroyed by our forces," the spokesperson of the unified command of Iranian armed forces said.
Separate statements by the Iranian army and Revolutionary Guards said an Israeli Hermes-900 drone as well as a U.S. MQ-9 drone were downed in Isfahan province.
Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said U.S. search operations were conducted from Saturday evening in three different provinces, namely Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad, and Isfahan.
The U.S. president said there is no going on with negotiations or any attempts to bridge the gap between the Iranians and the United States.
The news came just two days after US President Donald Trump said in a national address that the U.S. has “beaten and completely decimated Iran” and was “going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast.”
As Trump is threatening to destroy bridges and power plants in Iran, the Iranians are also threatening to retaliate in the same manner by hitting civilian infrastructure in the Gulf and Israel.
The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) also stated that "any attack on civilian infrastructure would be retaliated to in the same manner; we are at a very crucial point."
