Tehran: A local Iranian state television channel claimed Friday that a U.S. fighter pilot ejected over southwestern Iran, as the government offered a "precious prize" for the capture of American aircrews.

The announcement, broadcast by a regional affiliate in Iran’s Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, marks a major escalation in the information warfare surrounding a purported aerial engagement in the Strait of Hormuz.

“If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize,” the station’s anchor announced. An on-screen crawl accompanying the broadcast further urged the public to “shoot them if you see them,” citing social media footage of what the channel described as U.S. aircraft in the area.

The claim follows a Friday morning statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asserting it had downed a U.S. F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter over Qeshm Island. While the IRGC released images of wreckage to support the claim, independent aviation analysts noted the debris featured a "LN" tail code and the insignia of the 494th Fighter Squadron—markings belonging to an F-15E Strike Eagle based at RAF Lakenheath, UK, rather than an F-35.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) flatly denied the reports of a lost aircraft in a statement on social media.

“FACT: All U.S. fighter aircraft are accounted for,” CENTCOM stated. “Iran’s IRGC has made the same false claim at least half a dozen times.”
 

Despite the official denial, reports from the region indicated a U.S. C-130 Hercules was observed flying at low altitudes and deploying flares, manoeuvres typically consistent with Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations.

The Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the specific reports of a pilot ejection or the bounty offered by Iranian state media. The incident occurred amid a broader conflict that began in late February, which has seen repeated claims of downed aircraft and intensified strikes across the region.