U.S. Rescues Downed Air Force Officer Deep Inside Iran, Trump Says
nytimes.com • • general
Key Points:
- A U.S. Air Force officer whose fighter jet was shot down in Iran was rescued by U.S. Special Operations forces in a high-risk mission deep inside enemy territory, President Trump announced on social media.
- The rescue involved a two-day race between U.S. and Iranian forces to reach the injured weapons system officer, culminating in a large operation led by Navy SEAL Team 6 with hundreds of military personnel involved.
- President Trump confirmed there were no U.S. casualties during the mission, and the rescued officer, an Air Force colonel, sustained injuries but is expected to recover.
- The F-15E Strike Eagle jet was downed by Iranian military fire, with both crew members ejecting; the pilot was quickly rescued, but the weapons officer's location triggered an urgent and critical search operation.
- After extraction, the injured officer was flown to Kuwait for medical treatment, highlighting the high stakes and complexity of the ongoing conflict involving the U.S. and Iran.
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