O5, April 2026
Iran’s military has claimed to have foiled a US rescue operation for a downed airman, stating that the mission was “completely foiled”.
The operation, allegedly planned at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan, involved two C-130 military transport planes and two Black Hawk helicopters, which Iran claims were destroyed.
US President, Donald Trump had earlier announced that the officer was rescued and he is “SAFE and SOUND”, but Iran’s military spokesman, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, dismissed this as “empty rhetoric”
According to reports, two US warplanes, an F-15E Strike Eagle and an A-10 Warthog, were shot down over Iran and Kuwait, respectively.
One crew member from the F-15E was rescued, while the other remains missing.
The A-10 Warthog pilot ejected safely. Two Black Hawk helicopters involved in the search effort were hit by Iranian fire but managed to exit Iranian airspace
Iranian state media released videos and images claiming to show US rescue efforts, including Black Hawks under fire.
The Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, mocked the US, saying the war had been “downgraded from regime change to finding pilots”
The incident has escalated tensions between the US and Iran, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps searching for the missing pilot and offering rewards for information leading to capture.
The US has acknowledged the incident but hasn’t provided further details
