Iran offers bounty for US pilots reportedly shot down

Iran says it has deployed troops and offered a bounty in its search for US Air Force personnel who were reportedly shot down over southwestern Iran on Friday.

"Military forces have launched a search operation to find the American fighter pilot who was hit earlier today," the state-run Fars news agency said, calling on inhabitants of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province to help in the search.

"If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police and military forces, you will receive a valuable reward and bonus," said an Iranian television reporter on an official local channel.

US Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for military operations in the Middle East, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from international media.

But The New York Times and Reuters news agency cited US and Israeli officials who reportedly acknowledged the incident and said a search-and-rescue operation has been launched in an attempt to beat the Iranians to any survivors. The Wall Street Journal and Axios have also reported on the search operation.

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