Iranian drones flew in ‘jellyfish’ formation as US fighter jet was downed

23 Jun 2026 • 8:13 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Iranian drones flew in ‘jellyfish’ formation as US fighter jet was downed

  • A US fighter pilot, rescued after his F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by Iran on 3 April, described seeing Iranian drones swarm in a "jellyfish" formation before he ejected.
  • The pilot recounted to intelligence officials that multiple drones interconnected and moved as one, with smaller drones beneath, suggesting a significant advancement in Iran's mass drone capabilities.
  • The incident marked the first time a US aircraft had been shot down over Iran during the ongoing conflict, with the cause still under investigation, though the drone formation is considered a possible factor.
  • Following the pilot's safe ejection and rescue, a second airman, the weapons-system officer, remained stranded behind enemy lines, prompting a multi-pronged rescue mission.
  • The US president, Donald Trump, announced two days later that the second airman had been successfully recovered, sustaining injuries but reported to be "just fine".

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