by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON/TEHRAN (Worthy News) – American President Donald J. Trump said Sunday that a crew member who had been missing after a F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran has been recovered, after the U.S. military “pulled off one of the most daring search and rescue operations in U.S. history.”
“We got him!,” announced Trump on his social media platform Truth Social. “My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States military pulled off one of the most daring search and rescue operations in U.S. 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 wrote.
He added that the serviceman had been “behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran” and was being pursued, but that U.S. forces “never left him alone” as commanders monitored his position and prepared the rescue.
Trump said the operation involved dozens of aircraft and elite forces, stressing that the crew member “sustained injuries, but he will be just fine.”
In a message marking Easter, the president also praised the military, saying, “God bless America, God bless our troops, and happy Easter to all,” while calling the rescue a moment the nation should be “proud of and united around.”
DRAMATIC RESCUE MISSION
U.S. officials confirmed the crew member was rescued in an operation involving elite combat search-and-rescue units and extensive air support deep inside Iranian territory.
The serviceman was reportedly located in mountainous terrain after being behind enemy lines for hours, as both U.S. and Iranian forces raced to find him.
Iranian state-linked news agency Tasnim said airstrikes were carried out in the area where the missing crew member had been located. A local governor told media at least three people were killed in strikes attributed to the United States and Israel, though those claims could not be independently verified.
The rescue operation reportedly involved hundreds of specialized personnel, with support from multiple aircraft tasked with securing the area and extracting the downed serviceman safely.
Officials said the rescued crew member was injured but in stable condition.
RACE AGAINST TIME
There had been a race against time between U.S. forces and Iranian authorities seeking to capture the missing American.
Iranian sources suggested a reward of roughly $55,000 had been offered for information leading to the capture of the crew member.
The downing of the F-15 fighter jet occurred Friday during heightened tensions in the region, with U.S. officials saying the aircraft was hit by hostile fire while operating over southern Iran.
The two-seat aircraft carried a pilot and a weapons systems officer. One crew member was rescued earlier, while the second had remained missing until Sunday’s operation.
The incident marked a rare and serious escalation, as it was among the first confirmed cases in the current war of a U.S. fighter jet being shot down over Iranian territory.
ESCALATING RISKS
The successful recovery marks one of the rare instances in which U.S. personnel were retrieved from deep inside hostile territory without reported American casualties.
The incident follows earlier reports that another U.S. pilot had also been recovered in a separate operation, though officials had initially withheld confirmation due to operational security concerns.
Military analysts say such operations carry extreme risks, particularly in contested airspace and mountainous terrain where recovery teams are vulnerable to enemy fire.
The downing of the aircraft and subsequent rescue mission underscored the escalating risks in the ongoing war involving Iran and U.S.-aligned forces.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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