“WE GOT HIM!” Trump said, announcing that the crew member, a senior officer and Colonel, is now “safe and sound” after being extracted from behind enemy lines.
The airman had gone missing after an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by Iranian forces.
While the pilot was rescued soon after ejecting, the second crew member, a weapons systems officer, remained unaccounted for, triggering an urgent and complex search operation.
DAYS BEHIND ENEMY LINES
US officials said the airman survived for nearly two days in Iran’s mountainous terrain, evading forces that were actively searching for him, reported NYT.
“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour,” Trump said.
After ejecting, the airman hid on elevated ground, using a distress beacon, GPS tracker and secure communications equipment to remain in contact with US forces. He was lightly armed and relied on survival training to stay out of sight.
Iranian forces were also combing the area, with reports suggesting efforts were made to enlist local support to locate the downed officer.
Officials said the region where the jet crashed has pockets of opposition to the Iranian government, raising the possibility that the airman may have received assistance while evading capture.
RACE AGAINST TIME
The search turned into a race between US and Iranian forces over who would reach the airman first. Finding him became the US military’s top priority over the 48-hour window.
The mission to recover him drew on hundreds of special operations troops, dozens of warplanes and helicopters, and support from cyber, space and intelligence networks.
A senior military official described it as “one of the most complex and difficult in the history of US special operations”.
HIGH-RISK RESCUE OPERATION
Trump said the rescue was carried out under his direction, with “dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the world” deployed.
US attack aircraft dropped bombs and opened fire on Iranian convoys to prevent them from reaching the area where the airman was hiding. As rescue teams moved in, a firefight broke out near the extraction zone.
The operation unfolded under the cover of darkness, with specialised teams, including pararescue units and commandos, carrying out the extraction.
The airman sustained injuries but is expected to recover.
EXTRACTION UNDER FIRE
The rescue mission faced repeated threats. During earlier efforts, a US helicopter came under small arms fire, injuring crew members, though it landed safely.
An A-10 aircraft providing air cover was also hit and forced to eject over the Persian Gulf, from where its pilot was successfully recovered.
Even after the airman was secured, complications continued. Two transport aircraft meant to evacuate the team became unusable at a remote base inside Iran.
Commanders then flew in three additional aircraft to complete the extraction. The disabled planes were destroyed to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands.
All commandos involved in the mission returned safely, and the rescued airman was flown to Kuwait for treatment.
TWO RESCUES, ONE OPERATION KEPT SECRET
Trump revealed that another US pilot had been rescued a day earlier, though that mission was not made public at the time.
“This is the first time in military memory that two US pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in enemy territory,” he said.
The earlier rescue had also come under fire, with aircraft involved in that mission taking damage.
AIRCRAFT DOWNED AMID CONFLICT
The F-15E was brought down by Iranian forces, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming responsibility. Images released by Iranian media appeared consistent with the wreckage of an American jet.
The incident marks the first time in over two decades that a US fighter jet has been shot down in combat.
US officials said the conflict, which began on February 28, has already seen multiple aircraft losses, including a friendly fire incident involving American jets.
STRATEGIC MESSAGE
Trump used the operation to underline US military capability.
“The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a single American killed proves once again that we have achieved overwhelming air dominance,” he said.
He added, “We will never leave an American warfighter behind.”
– Ends
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