US and Iranian forces are continuing the search for a missing American crew member after two US warplanes were shot down over southern Iran.
The incident marks the first confirmed downing of US military aircraft by Iranian forces in the five-week conflict, despite President Donald Trump’s earlier claim that the US had “beaten and completely decimated” Iran.
The missing airman, a weapons systems officer, was aboard an F-15E fighter jet downed on Friday. The pilot was rescued, according to US media reports.
Iranian officials have denied capturing the second US crew member from the downed F-15 and also disputed that the first pilot was rescued, calling it an “enemy tactic.”
At the same time, state-linked media are urging civilians to capture the pilot alive, with authorities and local groups offering rewards. In one widely reported case, traders have put up a bounty of about £50,000, which far exceeds the typical monthly wages in Iran.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has warned Tehran that time is running out on his latest deadline for a deal to end the war.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: "Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out.
"48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
The war, which is now entering its sixth week, has killed thousands, rattled global markets and threatened lasting damage to the world economy.
Iran has responded to US and Israeli strikes by targeting Gulf energy infrastructure and tightening control over oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
It has virtually shut the waterway, which normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.
Iran attacked an Israel-affiliated vessel with a drone in the strait, setting the ship on fire, Iran's state media said on Saturday, citing the commander of the Revolutionary Guards' navy.
Meanwhile, Iran has said the area around Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant had been attacked, with one fatality.
The operations of the plant were unaffected.
Russia's state nuclear company Rosatom evacuated a further 198 of its staff from the site on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported, in evacuations already planned before the latest incident.
The Israeli military meanwhile said it had carried out "a wave of strikes" on Tehran.
Israel has been waging a parallel campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon after the militant group fired at Israel in support of Iran. Early on Saturday, Israel's military said it was striking the militants' infrastructure sites in Beirut.
