A second US Air Force combat aircraft went down in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, with its pilot safely rescued, according to a report by The New York Times, citing unnamed American officials.

The report said the incident involved an A-10 Warthog attack aircraft, which crashed near the Strait of Hormuz around the same time a separate US F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran.

Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of operational matters, confirmed the incident and said the A-10 had a single pilot on board. US forces successfully rescued the pilot, they added.

Officials, however, provided few details about the crash, including the exact cause, circumstances, or precise location where the aircraft went down.

The A-10 Warthog is a ground-attack aircraft designed to provide close air support to troops, particularly against armoured vehicles and enemy ground forces.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that Iranian officials have claimed responsibility for targeting the A-10 in maritime areas south of the Strait of Hormuz, though no independent confirmation of that claim has been provided.

The development comes amid heightened military escalation in the region.

US officials have already confirmed the loss of another advanced aircraft over Iran, an F-15E fighter jet carrying two crew members. One pilot has been rescued, while search-and-rescue operations remain underway for the second.