US Commandos Rescue Downed Airman in High-Risk Iran Mission

US Commandos Rescue Downed Airman in High-Risk Iran Mission

U.S. Special Operations forces have rescued an American Air Force officer whose fighter jet was shot down deep inside Iran, following a high-risk mission that officials described as one of the most complex in recent military history.

The operation, carried out late Saturday, came after an intense two-day search-and-rescue effort involving U.S. and Iranian forces racing to locate the injured officer, a weapons systems operator aboard an F-15E Strike Eagle.

President Donald Trump announced the development on Sunday, declaring: “We got him! This brave warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies.” He added that the officer, an Air Force colonel, had sustained injuries “but will be just fine.”

Military officials said the rescue was executed by elite commandos from Navy SEAL Team 6, supported by hundreds of special operations personnel, aircraft, and intelligence assets. The officer was evacuated to Kuwait for medical treatment, while all members of the rescue team returned without casualties.

The incident began on Friday when the F-15E was struck by Iranian forces, forcing both crew members to eject. While the pilot was quickly recovered, the weapons systems officer remained missing, triggering an urgent and large-scale recovery effort.

For more than 24 hours, the downed airman evaded capture, hiding in rugged mountainous terrain with limited supplies. Officials said he moved cautiously to avoid detection, at one point trekking along a high ridgeline while Iranian forces closed in on his location.

U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, reportedly launched a deception operation to mislead Iranian forces, suggesting the officer had already been rescued. The effort bought time for American forces to pinpoint his location and plan the extraction.

As the rescue unfolded, U.S. aircraft carried out strikes on approaching Iranian convoys to keep them away from the area. Commandos secured the extraction zone and evacuated the officer without direct engagement with Iranian troops.

In a dramatic twist, two transport aircraft used in the mission became inoperable at a remote site. U.S. forces responded by deploying additional planes to complete the evacuation and destroyed the disabled aircraft to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands.

Officials said the success of the operation highlighted the scale of U.S. military coordination, involving air, ground, cyber, and intelligence capabilities. The airman had been equipped with a locator beacon and secure communications device but used them sparingly to avoid detection.

The rescue comes amid escalating tensions following weeks of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Trump said the operation demonstrated U.S. air superiority, noting that it was carried out without any American casualties.