Photo: Alamy
The United States carried out a high-risk rescue mission deep inside Iran to recover a downed Air Force officer who survived more than a day behind enemy lines, officials said Sunday.
President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, writing on Truth Social, “WE GOT HIM!” and describing it as “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History.”
The mission began after an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran on Friday, forcing two crew members to eject into hostile territory. One was recovered within hours, while the second remained missing in mountainous terrain as Iranian forces searched the area.
U.S. officials said the airman followed Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape protocols, moving away from the crash site and limiting communications to avoid detection. He was eventually located after intermittent signals were confirmed through intelligence analysis.
Officials said the operation involved about 200 special operations personnel, including elite units, supported by surveillance aircraft and drones. U.S. forces also conducted strikes in the surrounding area to prevent Iranian units from reaching the airman.
The Central Intelligence Agency assisted in verifying the airman’s location and identity, while also employing deception efforts to divert Iranian search teams, according to officials.
Rescue helicopters retrieved the airman from a mountainous area after nightfall and transported him to a temporary staging site. During the extraction, complications arose when aircraft supporting the mission became disabled on the ground, prompting U.S. forces to destroy the equipment to prevent it from falling into Iranian hands.
All personnel were successfully evacuated, and no U.S. fatalities were reported.
The rescue took place amid the broader conflict between the United States and Iran under Operation Epic Fury, with ongoing strikes and heightened tensions across the region. Officials said the mission demonstrated the military’s ability to recover personnel in hostile environments.
President Trump later called the operation an “Easter miracle,” adding that U.S. forces “will never leave an American warfighter behind.”