WASHINGTON: The United States has successfully carried out a high-risk rescue operation to recover a downed airman deep inside Iran, officials confirmed on Sunday, bringing relief to President Donald Trump as he considers further escalation in the six-week-long conflict.
According to officials cited by Reuters, the rescued officer was a colonel serving as the weapons-systems officer aboard an F-15 fighter jet that was shot down by Iranian air defenses.
Trump described the mission as “one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history,” adding that although the airman sustained injuries, he is expected to recover fully.The rescued officer was the second crew member aboard the aircraft.
The first had already been recovered earlier, prompting an intense search effort by both US and Iranian forces for the remaining airman. Iranian authorities had also urged civilians to assist in locating the pilot, hoping to gain strategic leverage amid the ongoing war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed that several US aircraft were destroyed during the rescue mission, according to reports carried by local media. Meanwhile, US officials acknowledged that at least one American aircraft had to be destroyed after malfunctioning during the extraction process in mountainous terrain.The rescue mission involved dozens of US military aircraft and faced significant resistance from Iranian forces.
Earlier reports indicated that two Black Hawk helicopters were hit by Iranian fire but managed to escape. In a separate incident, a pilot ejected from an A-10 Warthog aircraft after it was struck over Kuwait, though details about injuries remain unclear.Trump emphasized that no American personnel were killed or wounded during the rescue operations, attributing the success to US air superiority.
However, despite US claims of dominance, Iranian forces have continued to demonstrate their ability to target American aircraft.US military personnel are trained in Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) techniques, but operating behind enemy lines in Iran poses significant challenges, particularly due to language barriers and the risk of detection.
According to United States Central Command, the conflict has so far resulted in the deaths of 13 US service members and left over 300 wounded, though no troops have been captured by Iran.US intelligence assessments indicate that Iran still retains substantial missile and drone capabilities.
While some of its arsenal has been destroyed, a significant portion remains operational or unaccounted for, with many assets likely hidden in underground facilities.
The widening conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has had far-reaching consequences across the Middle East, resulting in thousands of casualties and triggering a surge in global energy prices, raising concerns about inflation and economic instability worldwide.