Home › CNN       23.06.2026

What a shot-down US pilot saw just before ejecting over Iran

A US fighter jet pilot rescued by special forces after being shot down over Iran in April described a shocking sight before ejecting from his aircraft: multiple Iranian drones hovering in the air, moving as one, in a formation that resembled a jellyfish, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

The account, which has not been previously reported, was shared by the F-15 pilot with intelligence officials during a debriefing after the incident. It immediately set off a firestorm of debate within the US intelligence community that has yet to be resolved.

If the airman really saw what he described — a formation moving in unison — it would be an alarming advance in Iranian drone capabilities.

0:00 Downed US pilot: Iranian drones swarmed like 'jellyfish' 0:31 CNN's Zachary Cohen with more details on what pilot reported 1:45 Did the pilot actually see what he described? 2:52 CNN military analyst retired USAF Col. Cedric Leighton on what US intelligence wants to know 7:12 CNN commentator Sabrina Singh on how this would change US understanding of Iranian tactics

Watch 24/7 live news with CNN Headlines: https://bit.ly/4eIvlTr

#IranWar #Drones #News

More video News