Missing U.S. crew member from downed fighter jet rescued in Iran, Trump says

An American crew member who disappeared when an F-15E fighter jet was shot in a remote area of ​​Iran was rescued by U.S. forces early Sunday morning local time, several U.S. officials told CBS News. The plane’s pilot was rescued on Friday.

“WE GOT HIM!” Mr. Trump confirmed this in an article for Truth Social. “My fellow Americans, over the past few hours, the United States Military has carried out one of the most daring search and rescue operations in United States history, for one of our incredible aircrew officers, who also happens to be a highly respected colonel, and who I am delighted to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND!”

The president said the rescued officer had “suffered some injuries, but he will be just fine.”

Of the rescue operation, the president said that “under my instructions, the United States military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the deadliest weapons in the world, to retrieve him.”

U.S. officials previously told CBS News that the plane was carrying a crew of two when it was shot down by Iranian forces on Friday.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard took credit for the strike, saying the plane was shot down Friday morning in southwest Iran. Photos of debris that Iranian media reported showed the wreckage of the downed U.S. fighter jet appeared to match a U.S. F-15, two weapons experts told CBS News.

The F-15E pilot ejected safely and was rescued by two military helicopters, U.S. officials said earlier, but the second crew member, a weapons system officer, was still missing.

During Friday’s recovery efforts, a U.S. helicopter carrying the rescued pilot was hit by small arms fire, injuring the crew members on board, U.S. officials said, but the helicopter landed safely.

An A-10 Warthog that was part of Friday’s search mission caught fire and was damaged. The Warthog pilot ejected over the Persian Gulf and was successfully recovered, U.S. officials said.

Mr. Trump on Friday suspended further operations in Iran to prioritize search and rescue, directing hundreds of special operations forces to the effort, focusing on locating the stranded crew member.

A U.S. official and a White House official confirmed to CBS News that U.S. commandos recovered the missing crew member in a complex operation involving hundreds of special forces personnel and several dozen warplanes and helicopters. And as U.S. forces were closing in on the pinned officer, a firefight broke out with Iranian troops, the two officials said.

There were no casualties among U.S. personnel during the rescue operation, and the rescued officer was airlifted to Kuwait to receive treatment for his injuries, the two officials said.

The New York Times was the first to report details of the operation.

The grueling military operation used bombs and gunfire to keep Iranian troops away from where the missing officer was believed to be hiding, the two officials said. When he was pinned down, he only had a handgun to defend himself, the two officials revealed.

Two transport planes tasked with sending rescue teams were unable to take off from a remote base in Iran. Those planes were scrapped to prevent them from being captured by the enemy, officials said, and commandos took three additional planes that were sent to recover them.

The three rescue planes flew from Iran to Kuwait, each within a short distance of each other, officials revealed. The mission ended just before midnight, with all U.S. forces clear of enemy airspace.

The CIA was deeply involved in the rescue mission, a senior Trump administration official told CBS News on Sunday.

Before locating the aviator, the CIA launched a deception campaign, letting Iran know that U.S. forces had already found him and were moving him on the ground to exfiltrate him out of the country.

While the deception operation was underway, the agency used its capabilities to find the crew member in a mountain crevasse, the official said.

The CIA shared the crew member’s exact location with the Pentagon and the White House, the official said. The president ordered an immediate rescue mission, with the CIA continuing to provide real-time information.

The destruction of the F-15E fighter jet marks the first time a U.S. fighter jet has been shot down in combat in more than 20 years, said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, a former F-16 fighter pilot, told the Associated Press.

At least four US warplanes have been shot down since the Iran war began on February 28, but three of them were victims of friendly fire, the Pentagon said. On March 1st, three American F-15s were “shot down in error by Kuwaiti air defenses,” US Central Command said at the time, and there were no casualties in this incident.

Until Sunday’s announcement, Mr. Trump had remained mostly silent about the search, telling The Independent in a telephone interview on Friday that he could not comment on what he might do if the crew member was captured by Iran.

“Well, I can’t comment on that because we hope that doesn’t happen,” Mr. Trump said.

In his social media post Sunday, Trump said the White House’s silence was to protect the missing officer, saying the U.S. military “did not confirm” the rescue of the F-15E pilot on Friday “because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation.”

Mr. Trump also posted on Saturday another warning to Iran regarding its control over the Strait of Hormuz, telling the Iranian regime that it had 48 hours to reopen this crucial waterway or “hell will come.” [sic] reigns over them. »

Since the start of the war, the virtual closure of the strait – which represents around 20% of all global oil traffic – has caused fuel prices soaring around the world.

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