JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump announced early Sunday that the U.S. had rescued an aviator nearly two days after he was shot down over Iran.
The extraction came after a frantic search in what appears to be a remote, mountainous region of Iran. A second crew member had been rescued Friday, soon after the F-15E Strike Eagle crashed. It was the first U.S. aircraft to be downed by Iranian fire since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.
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“This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND!”
Here’s what we know about the rescue:
Frantic search conducted behind enemy lines
Trump noted that Friday’s rescue of the first airman was conducted in “broad daylight.” The White House avoided confirming the rescue to avoid jeopardizing the search for the second aviator, which was conducted overnight Saturday into Sunday.
That overnight rescue involved “dozens of aircraft,” armed with lethal weaponry, Trump said. Iran had promised a sizable reward to anyone who captured the service member.
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Throughout the ordeal, the U.S. had been monitoring the fallen airman’s location “24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue,” Trump said.
“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour,” he wrote.
Pilot wounded but expected to recover
Trump said the airman held the rank of colonel and had been seriously wounded. Nonetheless, Trump said he would be “just fine.”
Trump gave no details about the first crewman’s condition.
The U.S. destroyed 2 planes during the getaway
Iran’s state TV showed a picture of black smoke from what it said were a destroyed American transport plane and two helicopters.
A regional intelligence official briefed on the mission said the U.S. military was forced to bring in additional aircraft to complete the rescue due to a technical malfunction. The official said the U.S. blew up two transport planes it was forced to leave because of the mishap. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the covert mission.
Iran says it downed another plane
Iranian state media on Friday also said a second U.S. plane — an A-10 aircraft — crashed after being hit by Iranian forces. The U.S. military has not commented on the status of that aircraft or its crew.
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Associated Press writer Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.
