A dramatic rescue operation has ended with a missing U.S. airman being pulled to safety after an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran, according to U.S. officials and multiple reports. President Donald Trump said the rescue was one of the most daring search-and-rescue missions in U.S. military history, and confirmed the airman had been injured but was expected to recover.
The rescue came after an intense 24-hour operation involving dozens of aircraft, with reports saying the first crew member was rescued earlier and the second was located later in mountainous terrain inside Iran. Reuters reported that the mission followed a shootdown in southwestern Iran during the wider U.S.-Iran conflict, with heavy resistance encountered during the search.
Officials say the downing of the aircraft and the rescue mission have added to already soaring tensions in the region, with the incident marking a major escalation in the conflict. The rescue has been widely described as a high-risk operation deep behind enemy lines.