Iran US war Highlights: US F-15 fighter jet shot down in Iran; rescue ops launched

This blog has ended. Follow the US-Iran war LIVE updates for April 4, including Strait of Hormuz developments, oil price impact, and latest US-Israel strikes.

The World Health Organisation cautioned on Friday about "multiple attacks on health" in Iran in recent days after an airstrike on the Pasteur Institute in Tehran, as per AFP.

"Multiple attacks on health have been reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in recent days amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

He said the Pasteur Institute "sustained significant damage and was rendered unable to continue delivering health services" -- one of 20 facilities the WHO has confirmed as being targeted.

US military confirms the American aircraft was “shot down”, according to an email obtained by AP.

A 26‑year‑old woman living in Tehran says she is more worried about the survival of the Islamic Republic’s theocratic rulers than the bombing itself, even as she fears that further escalation targeting infrastructure could leave civilians without power or water. Speaking anonymously and through secure channels for safety, she described how the war’s impact on essential services has heightened her anxieties, according to AP.

“Based on what Trump has been saying, once again I realized that we, the people of Iran are nothing but tools and playthings between these two ideologies and powers of the world,” she said. “Neither our lives nor our well-being matters to anyone. Not to our rulers, who killed (thousands during the January protests) nor to the First World, which has always pursued its own interests.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a conversation on Friday with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, during which they discussed the five-point peace plan that Pakistan and China have proposed to resolve the conflict in Middle East, as per PTI.

The peace initiative had been presented earlier in the week, following Dar’s one-day visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to review regional developments.

As the search operation continues for another crew member onboard the US F-15E fighter jet which was downed by Iran today, President Donald Trump, according to the White House, has been briefed. US Central Command did not respond to a request for comment.

Iran US war LIVE updates: The United States forces have rescued one crew member after a fighter jet was downed over Iran, as per the CBS news that cited two US officials.

Israeli media, citing officials, said that one member of a US fighter jet crew has been rescued after the aircraft was downed over Iran amid the ongoing conflict, reported Reuters

Iran on Friday cautioned the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) against taking any “provocative action” ahead of a vote on a draft resolution to authorise a force to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that such a move would only complicate the situation.

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After US jet shot down in Iran, search-and-rescue operation is underway for the two-person crew, according to a US official, reported Bloomberg.

The Israeli military announced on Friday that it had begun attacking what it described as “terror infrastructure” in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, as per Reuters.

Three loud explosions were heard reverberating through the city, while local media reported that the strikes struck Beirut’s southern suburbs following a fresh warning issued earlier in the day by Israel’s military spokesperson.

On Thursday, three tankers, including one co-owned by a Japanese firm, navigated the Strait of Hormuz by staying close to Oman’s shoreline, a seldom-used route, as Iran exerts control over the critical, conflict-hit waterway, as per AFP.

Prior to the war, which began over a month ago, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed through the Strait. That volume has now dropped sharply, as Iran selectively targets ships and energy infrastructure across the Gulf in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes.

Iran deployed troops and announced a bounty as it launched a search for a US pilot, following reports from Iranian media that the pilot’s jet had been downed by the country’s air defence systems on Friday, according to AFP.

US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees military operations in the Middle East, did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment regarding the report, the first of its kind in the ongoing war.

The conflict began over a month ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks that have since escalated across the Middle East, disrupting the global economy and affecting millions of people worldwide.

US President Donald Trump on Friday urged Congress to approve a $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027, citing rising costs from the ongoing war with Iran and expanding global security obligations, as per AFP.

The plan would increase Pentagon spending by over 40 percent in a single year, marking the steepest rise since World War II, as the US aims to maintain military operations and replenish depleted weapons reserves.

An anchor on an Iranian television-affiliated channel urged residents to hand over any “enemy pilot” to the authorities, offering a reward for compliance. The channel operates in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, a largely rural and mountainous region covering more than 15,500 square kilometres (5,900 square miles), reported PTI.

Earlier, an on-screen ticker had called on the public to “shoot them if you see them,” referring to social media videos circulating that appeared to show US aircraft in the area

A channel associated with Iranian state television reported on Friday that a US fighter pilot had ejected from an aircraft over southwestern Iran.

It remains unclear what happened to the aircraft, including whether it was allegedly shot down or experienced another issue.

If confirmed, the claim could mark a significant escalation in the conflict, which is approaching the end of its fifth week. The United States did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

After more than a month of facing targeted assassination attempts, Iran’s leadership has shifted strategy to demonstrate it remains firmly in charge, appearing publicly among small, supportive crowds, as per Reuters.

In recent days, the country’s president and foreign minister have each been seen interacting with gatherings of several hundred people in central Tehran. On Tuesday, state television broadcast footage showing them taking selfies, speaking with citizens, and shaking hands with supporters in public spaces.

Officials said on Friday that state-run public transport in Pakistan’s capital and its most populous province will be free for the next month, following a steep increase in fuel prices driven by rising global energy costs linked to the Iran conflict, as per AFP.

The move comes after a late-night decision to raise petrol prices by 42.7 percent and diesel by 54.9 percent, a step that has already sparked multiple street protests.

"All public transport in Islamabad will be made free of cost for the general public for the next 30 days, starting tomorrow (Saturday)," interior minister Mohsin Naqvi wrote on X.

“As part of the ongoing follow-up to the previously reported incident in the Ajban area caused by falling debris following the successful interception by air defence systems, authorities confirm that the incident has resulted in minor to moderate injuries sustained by 6 individuals of Nepali nationality and 5 individuals of Indian nationality, and one major injury sustained by an individual of Nepali nationality,” Abu Dhabi's Media Office said.

Abu Dhabi suspended operations at the United Arab Emirates’ largest natural gas processing plant after an attack caused a fire, just hours after strikes targeted major energy infrastructure in Kuwait, as per Bloomberg.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the Habshan gas facility was shut down after authorities intercepted the incoming attack, but falling debris sparked a fire at the site. The facility, operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., is the UAE’s primary hub for gathering and processing gas from the emirate’s fields and supplying it for domestic use.