Two pilots who ejected from a U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jet shot down by Iranian forces have been rescued after an extensive American search operation. Iran had placed bounties on the capture of the U.S. pilots, desperately seeking to secure prisoners of war, while heavily publicizing its successive shootdowns of American aircraft.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, "We got him out." He added, "The U.S. military successfully carried out one of the most daring search-and-rescue operations in American history. A fine officer and respected colonel of our forces has been safely rescued and returned."
After Iranian forces shot down a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle on Saturday, American authorities mobilized their full military capabilities to search for the ejected pilots. On the same day, Iran also downed a U.S. A-10 Warthog attack aircraft, but that plane's pilot was rescued immediately by U.S. forces.
The pilot in the front seat of the two-seat F-15 was rescued swiftly after ejection. However, the weapon systems officer (WSO) in the rear seat hid in mountainous terrain for more than 24 hours, evading Iranian forces with only a pistol, the New York Times reported. Trump praised the officer's courage, saying, "This brave warrior was hiding deep behind enemy lines in Iran's rugged mountains, with enemies closing in as time passed." The WSO was reportedly transported to Kuwait for medical treatment after the rescue.
The U.S. military deployed dozens of aircraft, special operations forces and dedicated personnel recovery teams to extract the WSO. Iranian media captured footage of a C-130 tanker for aerial refueling and an HH-60G search-and-rescue helicopter flying at low altitude over Iran to locate the officer. During the operation, U.S. and Iranian forces engaged in multiple skirmishes, and a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter came under attack, injuring crew members. Iranian media claimed to have shot down one C-130 tanker and two Black Hawk helicopters supporting the search. The New York Times, however, reported that U.S. forces themselves destroyed two disabled American transport aircraft after the rescue to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands.
Iran offered substantial bounties for the WSO. The Sharekord Goldsmiths' Association offered $100,000 (approximately 150 million won) for the pilot's capture, while a religious organization called Kuchebani Hashim put up 20 billion tomans (200 million won). The large sums — despite Iran's economic difficulties under sanctions — reflected the value of capturing a prisoner of war as a major bargaining chip against the United States. In 1979, hardline students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 52 hostages for 444 days. President Jimmy Carter's failed special forces rescue attempt severely damaged his domestic standing, and analysts say Iran sought to recreate a similar effect.
Trump, who had stayed out of public view after news of the pilots' ejection broke, posted a 1,806-character message once the rescue was confirmed, emphasizing that "the U.S. military has secured overwhelming air superiority." He also highlighted his own role, saying, "Under my orders, dozens of aircraft were deployed for the rescue."
Following the intense rescue battle, the U.S. retaliated by deporting relatives of Iranian leaders residing in the country. The State Department announced it had arrested and revoked the permanent residency of the niece and her mother of the late Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force. The permanent residency of the daughter of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was also revoked.