A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over southwestern Iran in April, triggering a perilous rescue operation. Three people familiar with the matter told NBC News that the aircraft was likely struck by a Chinese-made shoulder-fired missile.
Sources stated that this marked the first time in decades that a U.S. combat aircraft had been shot down by enemy fire, and U.S. officials are currently investigating the circumstances. Additionally, according to one of the sources and a U.S. official familiar with the situation, China may have also supplied Iran—early in the conflict—with a long-range early-warning radar system capable of detecting stealth aircraft.