According to US President Donald Trump, the American officer who went missing in Iran following the downing of his F-15 fighter jet has been retrieved and is “now safe and sound”.
The crew member, a weapons system officer, was wounded after ejecting from the aircraft on Friday but was able to walk and escape capture in the highlands for more than a day, according to one official.
The shootdown was a nightmare scenario for the US military, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also searching for the missing US officer in southwest Iran. Both crew members were recovered during special forces operations in Iran.
According to one official, Saturday’s operation was carried out by a specialised commando team with extensive air support, that US forces unleashed a hail of heavy fire, and that all soldiers had now left Iran.
2nd pilot rescued: How it happened
According to two sources, the F-15 pilot and weapons systems officer communicated via their comms systems after ejecting on Friday.
After being shot down, the pilot was rescued many hours later. During the rescue attempt, Iran collided with a US Blackhawk helicopter, injuring crew members, but the chopper was able to continue flying.
It took over a day to find and rescue the weapons system officer. According to a senior administration official, before discovering the weapons system officer, the CIA initiated a disinformation effort in Iran, spreading news that US forces had already discovered him and were trying a ground exfiltration.
In the interim, the CIA employed “unique capabilities” to locate him, the official said.
According to the official, the CIA provided his precise location to the Pentagon, the US military, and the White House, prompting President Trump to authorise an emergency rescue mission.
According to two US officials, the IRGC moved forces to the region to hinder a rescue.
According to the sources, US Air Force jets struck Iranian forces to prevent them from reaching the area.
Trump and top members of his administration monitored the rescue operation from the White House Situation Room.
Trump verified the rescue on Truth Social, calling it “one of the most daring search and rescue operations in U.S. history.”
He stated that the officer, a colonel, “sustained injuries but will be just fine.”
A White House official said Trump stayed in the Oval Office all day Saturday, receiving continuous updates from Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
In addition to the F-15 and Blackhawk, Iran crashed an A-10 attack aircraft on Friday, undermining Trump, Hegseth, and other officials’ claims that the United States maintained unfettered air superiority over Iran.
The pilot was able to fly to friendly territory and safely eject from the aircraft. Trump said that the fact that both crew members were rescued without any American casualties demonstrated that the United States has “overwhelming air dominance and superiority.”
Meanwhile, diplomats have made little headway in recent days, according to two sources familiar with the indirect conversations.
