US Service Member Rescued After Iran Fighter Jet Incident
Rescue Operation Following Jet Downing
Picture used for representational purpose only. (Photo:@AmericanForce_/X)
Washington, April 5: A US military personnel, who had been unaccounted for since Iran shot down a fighter jet, has been successfully rescued, as announced by President Donald Trump in a social media update early Sunday.
The service member went missing on Friday when Iran brought down a US F-15E Strike Eagle. Another crew member had been rescued prior to this incident.
According to Trump, the aviator sustained injuries but is expected to recover, having taken refuge in the challenging mountainous terrain of Iran.
He noted that the rescue operation involved "dozens of aircraft" and that the US had been tracking the individual's location continuously, planning the rescue meticulously.
This incident marks the first time a US aircraft has crashed in Iranian territory since the conflict escalated in late February.
Last week, Trump stated that the US had significantly weakened Iran and promised a swift conclusion to the ongoing war.
Just two days later, Iran shot down two US military aircraft, highlighting the ongoing risks associated with the bombing campaign and the resilience of the Iranian military.
The second aircraft that went down was a US A-10 attack jet, with the status of its crew and the exact crash site still unknown.
A comprehensive search-and-rescue mission was launched following the F-15E crash, concentrating on a mountainous area in Iran's Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
Iran has also offered a reward for information leading to the capture of the "enemy pilot."
On Saturday, Iran's military command claimed to have targeted two US Black Hawk helicopters on Friday, although this information has not been independently verified.
Earlier that day, Trump issued a warning to Iran to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz by his Monday deadline, which Tehran dismissed as "unbalanced and foolish."
"Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them," Trump stated on social media, reiterating a previous deadline for the reopening of the shipping route.
Despite claiming that Tehran has been "beaten and completely decimated" in the ongoing war, which has now entered its sixth week, the downing of two US warplanes and Iran's call for the capture of the "enemy pilot" have escalated tensions further.
In response to Trump's renewed threats, Gen Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi from Iran's military command warned that "the doors of hell will be opened to you" if Iran's infrastructure is attacked, according to state media reports.