NYT: US loses second fighter jet over Middle East

The United States on Friday lost two military aircraft over the Persian Gulf and Iranian airspace, according to anonymous US officials cited by The New York Times.

An A-10 Warthog attack aircraft went down near the Strait of Hormuz; its sole pilot was rescued. Nearly simultaneously, an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter was shot down over Iran. One of its two crew members was rescued, while a search-and-rescue operation continues for the second.

The Pentagon recently doubled its A-10 deployment in the region, sending 19 additional planes to support ground forces and patrol the Strait of Hormuz. Following the F-15E incident, reports suggest an American helicopter attempting to rescue the crew was also targeted by Iranian forces.

Politico reports that US commanders face a difficult choice: withdraw or risk a ground operation, as Iran continues to block the Strait and global oil markets remain under pressure.