U.S. Special Forces Rescue Weapons System Officer from Downed F-15E in Southern Iran

U.S. Special Forces rescued the Weapons System Officer (WSO) of a downed F-15E Strike Eagle in southern Iran on Saturday night. The aircraft had been shot down over Iran on Friday. The operation involved hundreds of special forces troops and other military personnel, including members of the U.S. Air Force.

The WSO ejected from the F-15E and suffered injuries but remained able to walk, according to Axios citing officials familiar with the matter. Prior to locating the WSO, the CIA launched a deception campaign inside Iran. The campaign spread information that U.S. forces had already found the WSO and were attempting a ground exfiltration in southern Iran.

The rescue took place at a temporary forward operations base in southern Iran, utilized during the operation. Photos show the charred remains of two U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft at the site. The aircraft were destroyed to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.

Fires continued to burn at the forward operations base following the mission. Reports indicate that U.S. forces encountered problems during the operation, though specifics remain undisclosed. The base supported the special forces' efforts to extract the WSO.

The downed F-15E Strike Eagle was an American aircraft operating in the region. The incident occurred earlier in the week, with the ejection happening on Friday. No details on the pilot's status were provided in available reports.

The successful rescue marked a key outcome of the operation despite challenges. Iranian forces were potentially drawn away by the CIA's misinformation efforts. The destruction of the C-130s ensured no sensitive equipment was compromised.