Second Crew Member of Downed U.S. F-15E Rescued in Iran After Special Forces Operation

U.S. special forces conducted a rescue operation on Saturday, recovering the second American crew member from an F-15E fighter jet downed over Iran. The jet was shot down in Iranian territory, with the first crew member rescued earlier. Three U.S. officials confirmed the second rescue to Axios.

President Trump announced the confirmation of the rescue. The operation followed initial worries that a message from the stranded crew member could have been a deception by Iranian forces to lure U.S. personnel into an ambush.

The F-15E, a two-seat strike fighter, was involved in the incident, though the exact date of the downing remains unspecified in available reports.

Trump stated that the U.S. had successfully retrieved the crew member.

“WE GOT HIM.”

Fox News reported the rescue, which multiple outlets cited as the basis for their breaking updates. Axios provided exclusive details on the initial suspicions regarding the message from the crew member.

No Iranian statements or responses to the rescue appear in the reports. The operation occurred without reported casualties on the U.S. side.

The downing of the F-15E marks a significant military engagement between U.S. and Iranian forces. Details on the mission leading to the jet's downing are not provided in the sources. The rescue of both crew members concludes the immediate recovery efforts.

U.S. officials emphasized the special forces' role in executing the extraction under potential hostile conditions. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the region involving U.S. aerial operations over Iran.