Polymarket Removes Betting Market on Iran Crew Rescues

Online prediction market platform Polymarket has removed a controversial betting market allowing users to wager on the rescue timing of U.S. Air Force crew members whose F-15E Strike Eagle jet was shot down over Iran on Friday. The action followed sharp criticism from Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat and Marine Corps veteran, who described the listings as "disgusting" on social media.

The incident occurred amid escalating U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, which began in late February. Iranian forces downed the jet in a combat zone, prompting an immediate search-and-rescue effort. One crew member, the pilot, was recovered within seven hours on Friday. The second, a weapons systems officer, was rescued after midnight on Sunday and received medical treatment at a Kuwaiti hospital, President Donald Trump announced on social media.

Polymarket's market, which gained traction quickly, let users bet on outcomes such as the date of official U.S. confirmation for the rescues, with many predicting a Saturday resolution or later. Some wagers extended to possibilities like capture or death, drawing over 60 percent of bets against a swift recovery in one snapshot....