American commandos carried out a deep operation inside Iran to rescue a downed US airman after a fighter jet was shot down, according to US media reports and official statements.
The rescue mission followed the downing of an F-15 warplane, which Iranian authorities claimed responsibility for, marking the first reported loss of a US fighter jet inside Iran since the conflict began. Washington has not confirmed full details of the incident.
US President Donald Trump said the military conducted a “highly daring” rescue operation, stating that the injured crew member had been recovered safely. He added that the mission involved extensive military coordination and air support.
According to US media reports citing unnamed officials, elite commandos were deployed to locate and extract the airman, who had been injured after ejecting from the aircraft. The officer reportedly survived in mountainous terrain for over a day before being reached by rescue teams. He was carrying basic survival equipment, including a communication device to contact US forces.
Reports also indicated that US aircraft carried out supportive strikes to keep hostile forces away during the extraction, while commandos secured the area during the evacuation.
Some reports claimed that transport aircraft used in the operation were later destroyed to prevent sensitive equipment from being captured, while additional aircraft were used to complete the evacuation.
Iranian military officials, however, disputed the US account, saying the operation was detected and disrupted. They also claimed that US aircraft and helicopters involved in the mission were destroyed and that the rescue attempt took place near an abandoned airfield in southern Iran.
The CIA was also reported to have conducted a deception effort aimed at confusing Iranian forces about the movement of the downed pilot.
Trump further stated that a second US pilot had also been rescued in a separate operation, describing both missions as successful and completed without American casualties.
