
Iranian authorities say five people have been killed during a US operation to rescue a crew member of a downed fighter jet in Iran.
According to Iranian state media, the casualties were recorded during airstrikes that accompanied the American intervention on the ground.
At the same time, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard claims that several US aircraft were destroyed during the operation. According to the Tasnim news agency, during a joint operation by Iranian forces, "enemy aircraft" were hit.
A spokesman for the central command of the Iranian armed forces said that the downed vehicles included a C-130 military transport plane and two Black Hawk helicopters.
Iranian authorities also reported that an Israeli drone was shot down in the same area, south of Isfahan province.
However, these claims come in a context where Iranian state media has previously been accused of spreading incorrect information regarding the downing of American and Israeli aircraft during the conflict.
According to a report by The New York Times, US forces have destroyed several C-130 transport planes themselves after they became stranded on an airstrip, to avoid them falling into the hands of Iranian forces.