Middle East crisis Iran war

Iranian Photos Reportedly Show Downed US Plane

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has released photos it claims show two US transport planes and two helicopters that were shot down in the Isfahan province of Iran.

According to the Revolutionary Guard, the plane and helicopters were involved in the rescue operation for the American crewman who was stranded in Iran when his plane was shot down on Friday.

The US military said earlier in the day that it was forced to blow up one of its own planes that was hit by Iran to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

The US has not commented on the photos. President Donald Trump stated early Sunday morning, Swedish time, that the rescue operation was carried out without any American injuries.

On Saturday, Iran claimed that it had put a new air defense system into use, which would eventually give it air supremacy. If the latest Iranian data is correct, six American planes and helicopters have been shot down over the country since Friday.

Analysis: Both are making it a victory – could make the situation worse

Donald Trump hopes to regain the initiative through the operation that saved an American crew member whose plane was shot down over Iran, writes the BBC's Joe Inwood in an analysis.

He writes that the Iranian side early on tried to exploit the incident for propaganda purposes, but that Trump has now avoided the setback that would have meant if the American had been captured.

"He is presenting it, unsurprisingly, as a major victory for the American military and is turning what could have been a propaganda problem into something to celebrate."

Erika Solomon writes in the New York Times that both the United States and Iran want to portray themselves as victors. The United States because the crew member was saved, and Iran because the American planes were shot down.

It could lead to escalation, she writes.

“For both sides to feel so empowered is particularly risky for the region.”

Short radio phrase made US suspect trap from Iran

When the US made contact with the American crew member who ejected from a plane in Iran, they initially thought it was an Iranian trap, Donald Trump tells Axios.

The message was reportedly very short.

– What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say.

According to a source, he said “God is good”. Although there was some hesitation at first, the US was able to verify that he was alive and had not been captured.