“WE GOT HIM” — U.S. Rescues Both F-15 Crew Members From Deep Inside Iran; Tehran Calls It American Defeat
As Trump hails a historic rescue operation and issues a 48-hour Hormuz ultimatum, Iran claims it destroyed US aircraft and denies the mission succeeded
April 5, 2026 | Breaking News
WASHINGTON / TEHRAN — In one of the most dramatic military episodes of the ongoing US-Iran war, American special forces have rescued both crew members of a downed F-15E fighter jet from deep inside Iranian territory — a feat President Donald Trump called one of the most daring search-and-rescue operations in US history. Iran, however, flatly rejected that account, claiming its forces destroyed multiple American aircraft and that the rescue mission had failed.
THE RESCUE: A 48-HOUR RACE BEHIND ENEMY LINES
An F-15E fighter jet was shot down over a remote area of Iran on Friday. Both crew members ejected and landed in hostile territory. The jet’s pilot was rescued within hours, but the second crew member — a colonel serving as a weapons system officer — remained missing for more than a day, setting off a high-stakes race between US forces and the IRGC to find him first.
The weapons system officer was wounded after ejecting but could still walk, and evaded capture in the mountains for more than a day. The shootdown was described as a nightmare scenario for the US military, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also racing to locate the missing officer in southwest Iran.
Behind the scenes, a senior administration official told Axios that prior to locating the officer, the CIA launched a deception campaign by spreading word inside Iran that US forces had already found him and were attempting a ground extraction. In the meantime, the CIA used unique capabilities to search for him. The CIA then shared the crew member’s exact location — found in a mountain crevice — with the Pentagon and the White House, and the president ordered an immediate rescue mission.
The high-stakes rescue effort, which involved dozens of military aircraft, encountered fierce resistance. A firefight broke out during the operation, and it went on for hours — well into daylight, unusual for special operations extractions which typically happen under cover of darkness.
TRUMP: “THIS IS HISTORIC”
Trump announced the successful rescue in a Truth Social post early Sunday: “WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND!”
Trump also claimed it was “the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory.”
An Israeli military official, speaking anonymously, told NPR that Israel assisted the US by sharing intelligence and halting Israeli strikes in the search area to enable the rescue.
IRAN: “TRUMP IS COVERING UP A DEFEAT”
Tehran offered a sharply different account of the same events.
Iran’s state Tasnim News Agency claimed that several American aircraft were destroyed in the Isfahan region, and denied the operation succeeded — alleging that two Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130 military transport aircraft were hit and burning.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf shared images of purported wreckage and commented: “If the United States gets three more victories like this, it will be utterly ruined.”
Tasnim alleged that “Trump, in an attempt to cover up his heavy defeat,” falsely claimed a successful rescue operation.
An Iranian armed forces spokesperson described the original shootdown of the F-15 as a “black and humiliating” moment for the US and Israel, vowing to regain full control of Iran’s skies.
HORMUZ ULTIMATUM: 48 HOURS OR “ALL HELL”
The rescue comes amid an escalating standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump issued a blunt warning on Saturday: “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.”
The virtual closure of the strait — through which a large proportion of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass — has caused fuel prices to skyrocket. The spot price for Brent crude soared to $141.36, the highest since the 2008 financial crisis.
Oman’s foreign ministry said it met with Iranian officials on Saturday to discuss possible options for ensuring smooth transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left the door open for talks in principle, but gave no indication Tehran would bow to Trump’s demands, saying: “What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting end to the illegal war that is imposed on us.”
BROADER WAR CONTEXT
At least 2,076 people have been killed and 26,500 injured in Iran since February 28, when the US and Israel first launched strikes on Iran and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and several other senior military and political leaders.
Iran has also struck two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters involved in search and rescue operations. In total, Iran caused two military aircraft to crash — the F-15 and an A-10 — and hit two Black Hawk helicopters, less than 48 hours after Trump declared Iran had been “completely decimated.”
Pakistan told the Associated Press that ceasefire brokering efforts are “right on track,” though Iran appeared to continue retaliatory attacks on Gulf neighbours, targeting petrochemical facilities.
