How US special forces pulled off ‘daring’ operation to rescue American airman in Iran
Calling the airman a "brave warrior," Trump described he was located behind enermy lines in Iran's "treacherous mountains," where he was being hunted down by Iranian military personnel.
United States President Donald Trump Sunday confirmed over a post on TruthSocial that the Air Force officer who went missing after Iran shot down his F-15E jet on Friday has been rescued by the US military.
Describing the details of the operation, US officials said hundreds of Special Operations troops on Saturday night carried out a massive and a risky mission that took commandos deep into the enemy territory, the New York Times reported.
The rescue came after, what NYT calls, “a life-or-death race” between the US and Iranian forces that stretched over two days to reach the injured airman, officials told the news outlet.
On Friday, Iran’s military struck an F-15E Strike Eagle jet, carrying two crew members, following which they both ejected. While the jet’s pilot was immediately rescued, the weapons systems officer could not be found. The US military then set off an urgent search operation, considering it to be its highest priority over the past 48 hours.
🔴 Hundreds of special troops involved
According to an NYT report, hundreds of special forces troops, dozens of US warplanes, helicopters, and cyber, space and other intelligence capabilities, were employed in the mission to save the crew member. They were armed with “the most lethal weapons in the World,” said Trump in his post on TruthSocial.
At first, US aircraft dropped bombs and opened fire on Iranian convoys, keeping them away from the area where the airman hid after ejecting from the jet on Friday.
Calling the airman a “brave warrior,” Trump described he was located behind enermy lines in Iran’s “treacherous mountains,” where he was being hunted down by Iranian military personnel.
As the US forces stepped nearer to the downed airman, a heavy firefight erupted, NYT added, quoting former senior military officials.
🔴 Use of communication device
The US forces were able to coordinate with the downed airman via a “secure communication device”.
The airman was “never truly alone”, Trump stated, informing that “his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue.”
Although the airman sustained injuries, Trump assured, “he will be just fine”.
🔴 Another operation to rescue pilot
The search and rescue operation was conducted alongside the rescue of a jet pilot on Saturday, which the US President said, “we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation”.
He hailed the operation as the first in military memory when “two US Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory.”
A senior US military official described the mission as “one of the most challenging and complex in the history of US special operations,” NYT quoted.
🔴 US transport planes stuck
Following the rescue of the weapons officer, two US transport planes, meant to carry the commandos and the airmen to safety, got stuck at a remote base in Iran, according to the NYT report.
This led commanders to fly in three new planes to be able to extract all the US military personnel and the airmen. While onboard one of them, they blew up the two other disabled planes, instead of having them fall onto the Iranian ground.
🔴 Locals’ help on Iranian land
As the fighter jet was shot down in an Iranian region, where there is considerable opposition to ruling regime, the NYT suggests, the airman may have been able to rely on locals for shelter and assistance.
On the Iranian side, the crash was also noticed by its military forces, who were reported to have been scouring the area. Reports claim that the Iranian government had asked locals for help finding the downed airman, offering them a reward for his capture.
Hailing the operation, Trump reiterated US’s dominance over Iranian military capabilities, and wrote: “The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies.”
“This is a moment that ALL Americans, Republican, Democrat, and everyone else, should be proud of and united around. We truly have the best, most professional, and lethal Military in the History of the World. GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS, AND HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!”
In his first national address since the war in West Asia began last month, the US president on Thursday said that the American military has delivered “swift, decisive and overwhelming victories” on the battlefield, and that Iran’s navy and air force had been “decimated” and were now “in ruins”.
“Their ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed, and their weapons factories and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces, with very few left. Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses in a matter of weeks,” he had said.
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United States President Donald Trump Sunday confirmed over a post on TruthSocial that the Air Force officer who went missing after Iran shot down his F-15E jet on Friday has been rescued by the US military.
Describing the details of the operation, US officials said hundreds of Special Operations troops on Saturday night carried out a massive and a risky mission that took commandos deep into the enemy territory, the New York Times reported.
The rescue came after, what NYT calls, “a life-or-death race” between the US and Iranian forces that stretched over two days to reach the injured airman, officials told the news outlet.
On Friday, Iran’s military struck an F-15E Strike Eagle jet, carrying two crew members, following which they both ejected. While the jet’s pilot was immediately rescued, the weapons systems officer could not be found. The US military then set off an urgent search operation, considering it to be its highest priority over the past 48 hours.
🔴 Hundreds of special troops involved
According to an NYT report, hundreds of special forces troops, dozens of US warplanes, helicopters, and cyber, space and other intelligence capabilities, were employed in the mission to save the crew member. They were armed with “the most lethal weapons in the World,” said Trump in his post on TruthSocial.
At first, US aircraft dropped bombs and opened fire on Iranian convoys, keeping them away from the area where the airman hid after ejecting from the jet on Friday.
Calling the airman a “brave warrior,” Trump described he was located behind enermy lines in Iran’s “treacherous mountains,” where he was being hunted down by Iranian military personnel.
As the US forces stepped nearer to the downed airman, a heavy firefight erupted, NYT added, quoting former senior military officials.
🔴 Use of communication device
The US forces were able to coordinate with the downed airman via a “secure communication device”.
The airman was “never truly alone”, Trump stated, informing that “his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue.”
Although the airman sustained injuries, Trump assured, “he will be just fine”.
🔴 Another operation to rescue pilot
The search and rescue operation was conducted alongside the rescue of a jet pilot on Saturday, which the US President said, “we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation”.
He hailed the operation as the first in military memory when “two US Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory.”
A senior US military official described the mission as “one of the most challenging and complex in the history of US special operations,” NYT quoted.
🔴 US transport planes stuck
Following the rescue of the weapons officer, two US transport planes, meant to carry the commandos and the airmen to safety, got stuck at a remote base in Iran, according to the NYT report.
This led commanders to fly in three new planes to be able to extract all the US military personnel and the airmen. While onboard one of them, they blew up the two other disabled planes, instead of having them fall onto the Iranian ground.
🔴 Locals’ help on Iranian land
As the fighter jet was shot down in an Iranian region, where there is considerable opposition to ruling regime, the NYT suggests, the airman may have been able to rely on locals for shelter and assistance.
On the Iranian side, the crash was also noticed by its military forces, who were reported to have been scouring the area. Reports claim that the Iranian government had asked locals for help finding the downed airman, offering them a reward for his capture.
Hailing the operation, Trump reiterated US’s dominance over Iranian military capabilities, and wrote: “The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies.”
“This is a moment that ALL Americans, Republican, Democrat, and everyone else, should be proud of and united around. We truly have the best, most professional, and lethal Military in the History of the World. GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS, AND HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!”
In his first national address since the war in West Asia began last month, the US president on Thursday said that the American military has delivered “swift, decisive and overwhelming victories” on the battlefield, and that Iran’s navy and air force had been “decimated” and were now “in ruins”.
“Their ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed, and their weapons factories and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces, with very few left. Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses in a matter of weeks,” he had said.
