TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The rescue of a wounded American aviator shot down over Iran unfolded as a high-risk, multi-layered military operation, combining deception, overwhelming airpower and special operations forces in a race against time inside hostile territory.
The incident began when an F-15E Strike Eagle went down over Iran, forcing its two crew members to eject into rugged, mountainous terrain. One was recovered within hours, but the second — injured and stranded behind enemy lines — remained missing, triggering an urgent search effort.
U.S. forces moved quickly to locate the airman, even as Iranian troops and civilians were reportedly attempting to find him. The pilot is believed to have evaded capture for more than a day despite his injuries, hiding in difficult terrain while awaiting rescue.
According to U.S. officials, the operation relied heavily on deception. Intelligence agencies spread false information within Iran about the pilot’s location and staged multiple fake extraction scenarios, aiming to confuse Iranian forces and buy time for the real mission.
At the same time, the U.S. military assembled a large aerial force to support the effort. Fighter jets, surveillance aircraft, drones and refueling tankers were deployed to provide air cover, gather intelligence and deter interference.
Once the pilot’s location was confirmed, elite recovery teams were inserted to extract him. The mission involved coordinated action to secure the area and keep opposing forces at bay as the rescue unfolded.
After roughly two days, the wounded aviator was successfully located and airlifted out. Both crew members from the downed aircraft are now accounted for.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the rescued service member as “seriously wounded and really brave,” highlighting the risks involved in the operation.
The recovery underscores the priority the U.S. military places on retrieving personnel and illustrates the complexity of conducting such missions deep inside adversary territory, particularly as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.
