F-15 Fighter Jet Crashes, US Deemed to Have Lost Control in Conflict Against Iran
The crash of a US F-15 fighter jet and A-10 Warthog attack aircraft in Iranian territory delivers a severe setback to Uncle Sam’s military. Iran’s success in downing these advanced aircraft is seen not merely as a tactical victory but as a devastating blow to the international prestige of the Donald Trump administration.
Chris Doyle, Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, described the incident as highly significant for Iran in terms of prestige.
“It is important for Iran in terms of prestige,” he said, as reported by Al Jazeera on Sunday (5/4).
According to Doyle, this success demonstrates that Iran can challenge the world’s major powers, not just symbolically but through real resistance on the battlefield.
He assessed that, compared to the situation at the start of the war several weeks ago, the United States’ position has now changed. At that time, Trump was said to be optimistic about winning the war quickly.
“Donald Trump told his allies, I don’t need your help. But far from it, now he seems desperate; there appears to be chaos inside the White House,” he stated.
Doyle also highlighted the internal dynamics of the US military, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s move to dismiss several generals, including Army Chief of Staff Randy George.
“We see the Pentagon under Hegseth; he is firing the generals. It seems American leadership cannot control what is happening,” Doyle said.
Furthermore, he explained that in many Middle East conflicts, the United States often expands its military objectives beyond the initial targets. However, in the case of Iran, this pattern is not occurring consistently.
Initially, according to Doyle, the Trump administration had an agenda for regime change in Iran. But over time, that objective appears to have shifted.
“Now we see Trump and others saying, Oh no, we are not going to do regime change,” he said.
Doyle assessed that the US strategy currently lacks a clear direction. In contrast, Iran is seen as more measured in determining its steps.
“Iran can escalate at will and expand the conflict when needed, as we have seen, for example, with the recent Houthi missile attacks on Israel,” he stated.
He also warned that failing to handle incidents like the downing of fighter jets could impact the United States’ global credibility.
“This is further emphasised by the loss of these aircraft, which are very expensive. A US$100 million F-15 is not something to be taken lightly,” Doyle stressed.
Meanwhile, Iran claims to have shot down two US military aircraft on Friday (3/4), namely the F-15 fighter jet and the A-10 Warthog. The F-15 reportedly crashed in southwestern Iran, while the A-10 was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz.
The A-10 pilot was reported to be safe. However, the fate of one of the F-15 crew members remains unknown.
Several US media outlets reported that one F-15 crew member has been found and rescued, while the other is still being searched for.
President Donald Trump has confirmed the incident and emphasised that it will not affect the negotiation process with Iran.
In response, the United States immediately launched search and rescue operations. On the other hand, Iran announced a reward for anyone who can find the US pilot who has not yet been located. (Al Jazeera/P-4)