US Pilot Rescued After Plane Shot Down Over Iran

An American air force soldier spent over two days alone in enemy territory after his F-15E fighter jet was shot down by the Iranian army on Friday. His capture by Iran could have made him a valuable bargaining chip.

The Aviator Hid in a Crevasse

According to the New York Times, as per an American officer, the soldier sought after took advantage of the mountainous terrain where he had crashed to hide in a crevasse, concealing himself from both Iran and the US. The aviator had to climb “a ridge at over 2,100 meters altitude,” according to the same source.

The rescued aviator was well-equipped with a beacon and communication device, but had to limit their usage to avoid detection by Iranian forces, as reported by American media citing military sources. It was eventually the CIA, the US national intelligence agency, that discovered his hiding place, informing the Pentagon to prepare the rescue operation, Axios explains.

“Dozens of Aircraft” and Hundreds of Soldiers Mobilized

“At my request, the United States military has sent dozens of aircraft armed with the deadliest weapons in the world to find him,” writes Donald Trump on Truth Social. Images shared on social media on Saturday, authenticated by American media, showed American helicopters and planes flying low over the area in question.

According to American media, including the New York Times, the operation involved “hundreds of special operations troops and other military personnel,” as well as “cyber, space, and intelligence capabilities.” The sought-after soldier was extracted by members of the Navy SEAL Team 6, according to the newspaper.

CIA Conducted a Disinformation Operation Against Iran

According to US military sources speaking to American media, the CIA participated in the rescue operation. The American intelligence agency notably caused confusion among Iranian troops by trying to convince them that the second pilot had already been rescued and was leaving Iran in a ground convoy.

Two Rescue Aircrafts Blocked at The Last Moment

During the rescue operation, American attack aircraft and helicopters bombed and fired upon Iranian convoys to keep them away from the aviator’s hideout, according to a US military source, adding that there were no exchanges of fire with Iranian soldiers.

The operation could have ended worse: American troops retrieved the aviator, but the two transport planes that were supposed to help them escape Iran were unable to take off. The US military chose to use three other aircraft and destroy the two non-functional ones to prevent them from being used by Iran, as reported by the New York Times.

The Aviator is “Injured” but in Good Health

Donald Trump states that the crew member, a weapons systems officer, “is injured, but will be fine.” An analyst from CNN mentioned, “I was told he was injured during his ejection” from the aircraft, which posed “other challenges” for his safe extraction.

At Least Five Iranians Killed and an American Aircraft Destroyed in the Operation, According to Iranian Media

“Five people were martyred during the attack [during the night from Saturday to Sunday] in the Kouh-e Siah area,” in the province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad in southwest Iran, reported the Iranian news agency Tasnim, citing a provincial official. The agency did not confirm Donald Trump’s announcement that the soldier had been rescued.

Tasnim, citing the Revolutionary Guards, also stated that “an American enemy aircraft searching for the pilot of a downed fighter jet had been destroyed by Islam fighters in the southern region of Isfahan,” without further details. Washington did not react immediately.