Iran says five killed during US rescue op, claims several US aircraft downed

Iranian media reports that five people were killed in strikes during the US operation to rescue an airman whose fighter jet was shot down on Friday.

At the same time, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say several American aircraft were destroyed during the US mission, according to Tasnim news agency.

“During a joint operation (Aerospace, Ground Force, Popular Units, Basij and Police command), enemy aircraft were destroyed,” the group says after Iran’s police command claimed an American C-130 plane had been downed in the south of Isfahan.

The spokesperson of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of the Iranian armed forces, said the downed aircraft included a C-130 military transport plane as well as two Black Hawk helicopters.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s army also said it had downed an Israeli drone in the same province.

Iran’s state-run media has repeatedly distributed false claims of downed US and Israeli aircraft during the war.

According to a New York Times report, US forces blew up their own C-130 transport planes after they got stuck on an airfield and did not want them to fall into Iranian hands.