An image released on April 5, 2026, and obtained from social media appears to show wreckage of an American aircraft and a helicopter rotor in Isfahan, Iran, which forensic imagery analyst William Goodhind said is consistent with a U.S. MC‑130J or HC‑130J, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Social Media/via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. VERIFICATION: - Reuters was able to confirm the location from the shape and position of the mountains seen in the images and video, which matched topography mapping and satellite imagery of the area. - Reuters was not able to verify the exact time the photos were taken, but no older versions were found posted online before Sunday (April 5). - Several aircraft were destroyed during the U.S. mission to find the US airman in Iran, the Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday (April 5), according to Iranian media. - The type of aircraft in the debris could not be verified. Still, William Goodhind, a forensic imagery analyst with Contested Ground, told Reuters that the pictures show recognisable features that match those of an MC-130J. According to him, in the wreckage, it also appears to be a part of the main or rear rotor of a helicopter. Photo: SOCIAL MEDIA/REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: A satellite imagery taken on February 1, 2026, shows a new roof over a previously destroyed building at Isfahan nuclear site, Iran. 2026 PLANET LABS PBC/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT./File Photo Photo: 2026 Planet Labs PBC/REUTERS
