The US military has rescued a missing crew member in a dramatic night-time mission after his fighter jet was shot down in a remote part of Iran. The exact circumstances remain unclear, but the operation to extract him from the ground in hostile territory was hugely complex. Hundreds of special forces, along with dozens of US fighter jets and helicopters, were involved in the plan, along with the CIA.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said on social media: 'We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran.' The airman's ordeal began on Friday with reports that an F-15 jet, which was carrying a weapons systems officer and a pilot, had been shot down over southern Iran. It was the first US fighter jet to be shot down by enemy fire in more than 20 years.
The two US military personnel on board the F-15E Strike Eagle managed to eject from the aircraft, and the pilot was rescued the same day, but the second crew member was missing. The US then began a race against time to locate him, especially after Iran made it clear they wished to capture him alive and offered a bounty of £50,000 ($66,100).
Videos shared on social media appeared to show armed civilians searching for him, as the officer on the ground had only a handgun for defense. US officials suggested that he was trained for such an ordeal, restricting his beacon signal for fear it could be detected by Iranian forces. Concealing himself in a mountain crevice, he awaited his rescuers.
The CIA played a crucial role in the mission by tracking the airman's location, which was monitored around the clock. Special forces were deployed with firepower to keep Iranian troops away from the area. There were various reports about how the operation unfolded, including claims from Iranian state media about downing US drones during the search.
Ultimately, the rescue was completed just before midnight US time, with the airman being transported to Kuwait for medical treatment. President Trump affirmed his gratitude for the successful mission, emphasizing the commitment to never leave an American soldier behind.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said on social media: 'We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran.' The airman's ordeal began on Friday with reports that an F-15 jet, which was carrying a weapons systems officer and a pilot, had been shot down over southern Iran. It was the first US fighter jet to be shot down by enemy fire in more than 20 years.
The two US military personnel on board the F-15E Strike Eagle managed to eject from the aircraft, and the pilot was rescued the same day, but the second crew member was missing. The US then began a race against time to locate him, especially after Iran made it clear they wished to capture him alive and offered a bounty of £50,000 ($66,100).
Videos shared on social media appeared to show armed civilians searching for him, as the officer on the ground had only a handgun for defense. US officials suggested that he was trained for such an ordeal, restricting his beacon signal for fear it could be detected by Iranian forces. Concealing himself in a mountain crevice, he awaited his rescuers.
The CIA played a crucial role in the mission by tracking the airman's location, which was monitored around the clock. Special forces were deployed with firepower to keep Iranian troops away from the area. There were various reports about how the operation unfolded, including claims from Iranian state media about downing US drones during the search.
Ultimately, the rescue was completed just before midnight US time, with the airman being transported to Kuwait for medical treatment. President Trump affirmed his gratitude for the successful mission, emphasizing the commitment to never leave an American soldier behind.
