Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A missing US airman who spent days evading capture in Iran’s mountainous terrain has been rescued in a high-risk military operation, with President Donald Trump calling it one of the most daring missions in recent memory.
“WE GOT HIM!” Trump said in a post, announcing that the crew member, a senior officer and Colonel, is now “safe and sound” after being pulled out from behind enemy lines.
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The airman had gone missing after an F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran. While the pilot was rescued earlier, the second crew member remained unaccounted for, triggering an intensive search operation.
DAYS BEHIND ENEMY LINES
According to US officials, the pilot survived for nearly two days in hostile territory, evading Iranian forces who were closing in.
“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,” Trump said.
Despite the danger, the airman was not cut off. He remained in contact with US forces using survival gear, including a GPS tracker, beacon and encrypted radio, allowing rescuers to monitor his location and coordinate extraction.
HIGH-RISK RESCUE OPERATION
Trump said the rescue was carried out under his direction, with “dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the world” deployed for the mission.
The operation unfolded in darkness and involved a firefight, according to officials familiar with the situation. Specialised rescue teams, believed to include Air Force pararescue units, carried out the extraction under hostile conditions.
The airman sustained injuries but is expected to recover.
TWO RESCUES IN HOSTILE TERRITORY
Trump also revealed that another US pilot had been rescued a day earlier, though the operation was kept under wraps to avoid compromising the second mission.
“This is the first time in military memory that two US pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in enemy territory,” he said.
AIRCRAFT DOWNED, TENSIONS RISE
The F-15E fighter jet was shot down by Iranian forces, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming responsibility. Images released by Iranian media showing debris were said to match an American aircraft.
During the earlier rescue effort, a US helicopter came under small arms fire, injuring crew members, though it managed to land safely. An A-10 Warthog involved in the mission was also hit, forcing its pilot to eject over the Persian Gulf, from where he was recovered.
The incident marks the first time in over two decades that a US fighter jet has been shot down in combat.
BROADER CONFLICT BACKDROP
The downing comes amid ongoing hostilities that began on February 28. US officials have said multiple aircraft losses have occurred since then, including a separate friendly fire incident involving American jets.
Trump, who had earlier warned Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, used the rescue to project US military strength.
“The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a single American killed proves once again that we have achieved overwhelming air dominance,” he said.
He added, “We will never leave an American warfighter behind.”
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
