The US rescued a missing F-15E airman deep inside Iran with an incredibly complex and daring mission that involved SEAL Team 6, a CIA ruse, a hastily constructed forward air strip in hostile territory, and patrols of friendly aircraft that gave the Air Force colonel cover.
A life-or-death race between US and Iranian forces to find the “seriously injured” weapons officer outside Isfahan over two days culminated in the crew member’s extraction by America’s most elite commandos and a firefight with local militias that were hunting for him, according to a report in the New York Times.
The unnamed officer hid out in the mountains and managed to climb a 7,000-foot ridge to evade capture while American MQ-9 Reaper drones pounded nearby Iranian forces with missiles if they got close to his position, according to reports.
“He evaded up a 7k ridge. They’ve been schwackin’ dudes chasing him all day. Was nuts,” a source told Toby Harnden, the veteran war correspondent and author.
In an effort to confuse the Iranians, who put a $60,000 bounty (more than 10 times the average household income) on the officer’s head, the CIA pulled off a diversion — planting fake intel that he had already been rescued and was being driven out of Iran, according to the Times.
The operation involved landing multiple transport aircraft inside Iranian territory just south of the city of Isfahan, some 200 miles inside the country.
A US Air Force landing strip was set up close to the city, which houses many of Iran’s missile and army bases, nuclear facilities, and the last of its fleet of F-14 fighter jets.
Two of the aircraft — believed to be MC-130J Commando IIs, specialized, high-tech transport planes — became stuck at the forward airfield in Iran, and three more aircraft were dispatched to pick up the US forces left stranded there, according to the Times.
The two MC-130Js — each worth around $100 million — were demolished in place so as not to fall into enemy hands.
Photos from Iran show the burned-out wreckage of multiple aircraft, believed to be the planes.
Among the wreckage also appear to be the burned-out wrecks of two MH-6/AH-6 Little Bird light helicopters used in special operations, and known as Night Stalkers, according to a report in the War Zone.
A total of four of the helicopters were likely delivered to the landing site to provide close air support and force protection for the larger force deployed there.
It is believed that the Iranians were fired upon from the air as they tried to approach the US base of operations.
There were no US deaths among the rescue team, and all the commandos and the weapons officer involved returned safely, a senior US military official told The Times.
“The US Air Force had to use multiple bombs to blow up all the aircraft they abandoned at that airstrip. And the Iranians shot down 2 MQ-9s Reaper drones,” a US military official familiar with the operation told experienced Middle East journalist Michael Weiss.
“Luckily the U.S. suffered no casualties and we had to use multiple bombs and missiles to blow up IRGC vehicles that tried to drive up the mountain and also those that tried to drive to the airstrip,” the official added.
The injured airman has been flown to Kuwait for medical treatment in a rescue plane.
On Friday, the first of the two pilots was rescued during another daring operation.
“WE GOT HIM!” President Trump confirmed in a Truth Social post. “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.”
In a later post, he said, “this type of raid is seldom attempted because of the danger to ‘man and equipment.’”
The president said he would hold a news conference with the military at the Oval Office on Monday at 1:00 p.m. in the aftermath of the successful operation.
