US Special Forces Rescue Airman After Iran Shoots Down F-15E Jet in Southwestern Iran
US special forces conducted a rescue operation to recover a weapons-system officer stranded in Iran following the downing of an F-15E fighter jet by Iranian defenses on Friday. The pilot ejected safely and was rescued under fire, while the second airman was extracted amid resistance using deception tactics and air support.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewUS special forces rescued a weapons-system officer from behind enemy lines in Iran after Iranian defenses shot down an F-15E Strike Eagle jet on Friday morning. The all-weather jet, designed for air-to-ground and air-to-air missions, carried two crew members: a pilot and the weapons-system officer responsible for target selection and weapon calibration.
Post by @Reuters on X
Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for the strike in southwestern Iran. The US government has not disclosed the jet's mission or exact location at the time of the incident. US Central Command has not commented on the details.
The pilot ejected safely and was rescued by two military helicopters on Friday. One helicopter sustained small arms fire, wounding crew members on board, but it escaped the area. During the initial rescue efforts, an A-10 Warthog fighter aircraft was hit over Kuwait, leading to the pilot's ejection and the plane's crash, according to officials cited by Reuters.
The weapons-system officer remained trapped in the mountainous terrain with only a handgun for defense, as reported by two US officials to CBS.
The rescue of the second airman involved dozens of special forces personnel, C-130 cargo planes, and H-60 helicopters flying low over Iran. 50 caliber machine guns en route to the airman's location. US forces provided covering fire and used bombs to deter approaching Iranian troops.
Video footage published on social media showed the low-altitude flights. Officials stated that the operation marked the first time in US military history that two pilots were rescued separately deep in enemy territory.
' A deception campaign spread false information that the airman had already been recovered, according to CBS. As the officer was transported to a nearby aircraft within Iran, US forces destroyed at least one malfunctioning aircraft, an official told Reuters.
The airman sustained injuries but was reported safe upon extraction.
President Donald Trump announced the successful rescue on Sunday via Truth Social. He identified the airman as a highly respected colonel, unnamed publicly, who would recover from his injuries. Trump stated that no Americans were killed or wounded in the operations, which involved dozens of aircraft equipped with advanced weaponry.
He emphasized continuous monitoring of the airman's position and described the mission as demonstrating US air superiority in the conflict. Trump added that the US would never abandon a warfighter behind enemy lines.
Iran's joint military command confirmed shooting down the F-15E with new air defenses. The Revolutionary Guards claimed to have destroyed several US aircraft during the rescue, including a C-130 transport plane and two Black Hawk helicopters. They attributed some downings to nomadic tribes in the mountains firing on two Black Hawk helicopters.
An Iranian military spokesman specified that the downed craft included those involved in the initial operation. Iranian officials had called on citizens to assist in locating the airman to gain leverage against the US.
Sources contradict on the extent of US aircraft losses during the rescue. While Trump and US officials reported no casualties and did not confirm any downings beyond the initial jet and the A-10 over Kuwait, Iran claimed multiple destructions. No independent verification of Iran's assertions has been provided.
The conflict between the US and Iran has resulted in 13 US service member deaths and over 300 wounded, according to US Central Command. No US troops have been captured by Iran to date.
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