• Source:JND

A high-risk US mission to rescue a stranded airman deep inside Iran appears to have come at a significant cost, with reports suggesting American forces destroyed at least two of their own aircraft during the operation.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, two US Special Operations aircraft were blown up on the ground while rescuing the second aviator. The aircraft, identified as MC-130J planes, are typically used for covert missions, including infiltration and extraction in hostile territories. While officials have not clarified how the aircraft became stranded or inoperable, their destruction was described as “necessary” during the operation.

ALSO READ: 7,000 Ft Hike, Secured Communication Device And A Beacon: How US Airman Evaded Iran For Nearly 48 Hours

Separate reports by The New York Times and CBS News also said US forces destroyed two transport aircraft to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands.

Meanwhile, Iran offered a different account. A spokesperson for the country’s unified armed forces command claimed, “On-ground assessment shows that two C-130 planes and two Black Hawk helicopters were downed south of Isfahan.” It remains unclear whether both sides were referring to the same set of aircraft losses.

Iran Claims Rescue Operation Failed

While US President Donald Trump praised the mission as one of the most daring recent rescue operations, Iranian officials insisted it had failed.

“The so-called US military rescue operation, planned as a deception and escape mission at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft, was completely foiled,” HT quoted Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s military central command. He added that two US “C-130 military transport planes and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed.”

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, echoed the sentiment, remarking, “If the United States gets three more victories like this, it will be utterly ruined.”

Trump Hails Mission As Major Success

President Trump confirmed he considers the operation a success due to the successful rescue of an additional crew member from a downed F-15E.

“One of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND!” he wrote on Truth Social.

He added that the officer had been stranded in dangerous terrain and pursued by hostile forces. “At my direction, the US Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine,” Trump said.

Additionally, he pointed out that senior officials and high levels of the military, including the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, have closely monitored and coordinated this entire operation.

According to US officials, as reported in The New York Times, the airman rescued is a weapons systems officer; the pilot from the two-seater F-15E has been safely recovered before this second extraction.

The SEAL Team 6 commandos performed this extraction as part of an extensive operation of hundreds of special operations forces.

According to reports, both members of the crew had contact within minutes of ejecting from the aeroplane. The pilot was rescued in less than three hours, and the second officer was lost for almost two days before being found.

ALSO READ: What Is JASSM-ER? US Plans To Deploy 600-Mile Stealth Missile Inventory Against Iran

Before finding the second officer, the CIA ran an extensive deception campaign in Iran by distributing false information that the airman had been rescued and that US troops were preparing to leave by ground. At the same time, intelligence agencies used specialised capabilities to track his exact location.

Once his position was confirmed and relayed to US military leadership and the White House, Trump authorised the rescue mission.

The operation unfolded under intense pressure, with officials cited by Axios saying Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had deployed forces in an attempt to intercept the rescue effort.


Also In News