How US Commandos Pulled Off Rescue Deep Inside Iran

An American airman survived nearly two days in hiding inside a narrow mountain crevice in Iran before a U.S. special operations team fought its way into the area and extracted him from roughly 200 miles inside the country, according to detailed reports about the mission. The airman, whose name has not been released, was the weapons-systems officer seated in the rear of an F-15E Strike Eagle that was shot down on Friday.

After ejecting, the officer managed to reach higher ground and radioed the message “God is good.” That transmission briefly raised concerns among officials in Washington, who worried it could have been forced or part of a trap. Meanwhile, Iranian military units, militia fighters, helicopters, and drones began moving toward the area where he was believed to be hiding. U.S. leaders quickly moved forward with a rescue mission that had been rehearsed in planning exercises but had never been carried out in real conditions.

The effort to recover the airman reportedly involved about 100 special operations troops along with multiple U.S. aircraft. Intelligence support and deception tactics from the CIA were also used during the operation. The airman had activated an emergency locator beacon after ejecting, which helped American forces narrow down his position.

Initial attempts to reach him ran into problems. Ground fire from Iranian forces complicated the approach, and at one point a rescue aircraft’s landing gear became stuck in sandy dirt at a remote airstrip. As the rescue unfolded, U.S. Reaper drones and B-1 bombers carried out strikes against Iranian units that were rushing toward the search area.

Iranian authorities had reportedly offered a reward of more than $66,000 for anyone who could capture the downed airman alive. Intelligence officials worked to locate him despite the vast terrain, while also spreading misleading information suggesting he was being moved elsewhere over land. U.S. commandos ultimately climbed a ridge rising about 7,000 feet to reach the location where he was hiding.

Three smaller aircraft eventually brought specialized teams into the area. Because of the earlier mechanical issue, the extraction had to take place in several trips, with some personnel waiting hours before they could be flown out. Aircraft that could not be recovered were destroyed to prevent sensitive American military technology from falling into Iranian hands.

President Trump authorized the mission after receiving a briefing from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. After the airman was safely recovered, the president announced the successful rescue online, writing “WE GOT HIM!” and later referring to the operation as an “Easter miracle.” The rescued officer, who had only a handgun with him for protection while he was hiding, was reported to have suffered a sprained ankle.

Original Source