US EditionIsraeli intelligence helped US airman rescue mission in Iran, official says
Hundreds of special operations troops, drones and intelligence assets helped extract the injured airman before Iranian forces could capture him.
- On Sunday, April 5, 2026, U.S. special operations forces extracted an injured navigator from Iran after a 36-hour mission. President Donald Trump confirmed the navigator is "SAFE and SOUND" following the successful operation.
- After his F-15E Strike Eagle was downed, the navigator utilized "Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape" training to hide in a mountain crevice for over 24 hours while activating a distress beacon to signal rescuers.
- Fox News reported Israeli intelligence assisted with countering Iranian air activity during the mission. U.S. forces destroyed two MC-130J aircraft valued at more than $100 million and executed a deception campaign to mislead Iranian troops.
- This recovery followed the separate rescue of a pilot two days earlier. Trump stated the successful operations prove the United States Military achieved "overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority" over Iranian skies.
- The operation creates potential diplomatic friction with Iran following covert ground activity inside its territory. Future missions may require increased coordination with allied intelligence services as the loss of specialized equipment necessitates adjustments to force-protection planning.
24 Articles
24 Articles
IDF Special Forces unit, intelligence and more: How Israel helped US in rescuing downed F-15 crew from Iran
Nearly 48 hours after Iran was able to shoot down an American F-15E Strike Eagle over its territory, the US military on Sunday was able to rescue second crew member of the downed jet, but only after a meticulous planning that even involved a "deception campaign" by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Now, fresh details have emerged about the "daring" rescue operation, with reports claiming that even Israel supported the American military in i…
Airman rescue shows US can penetrate enemy territory 'anywhere' in Iran, former Pentagon official warns | Fox Wilmington WSFX-TV
close Video US rescues missing airman deep in Iran Retired Navy Captain Brent Sadler joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ discussing the training and process behind the extraction of two U.S. airmen that were in a downed F-15E deep inside Iran. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A former Pentagon official said the rescue of a U.S. airman in Iran served as more than a recovery mission, saying it was a warning to Tehran that the United States…
The aviator was an engineer of weapons systems, "severely wounded", according to Trump, who managed to climb more than 2,000 meters of a peak and hide himself...
Airman rescue shows U.S. can penetrate enemy territory 'anywhere' in Iran, former Pentagon official warns
Retired Navy Cpt. Brent Sadler says the U.S. rescue of a downed airman in Iran demonstrates America can reach anywhere in Iranian territory to carry out operations.
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