Esra Tekin
April 05, 2026•Update: April 06, 2026
ISTANBUL
US special operations forces rescued the second crew member Saturday of an F-15 fighter jet downed above Iran, Axios reported, citing three US officials.
The rescue capped a tense 36-hour operation in southwest Iran, where US forces and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were reportedly trying to reach the missing American officer.
With the latest extraction, both crew members have been recovered.
One US official said the mission was carried out by an elite commando team backed by extensive air support, and all American personnel involved have exited Iran.
Two sources said the pilot and the weapons systems officer were able to communicate after ejecting from the aircraft.
The pilot was recovered within hours of the jet being shot down, while the second crew member was not found and rescued more than a day later.
US special forces were deployed inside Iran on Friday and again on Saturday as part of the search-and-rescue effort.
After the second crew member was located on Saturday, US forces launched an operation to extract him, while IRGC units were also moving into the area, apparently to stop the mission.
Sources said US Air Force aircraft struck Iranian forces to prevent them from reaching the site.
The New York Times said after the weapons officer was rescued, two transport planes meant to evacuate the commandos and airmen became stranded at a remote base in Iran.
In response, commanders sent three replacement aircraft to bring everyone out and destroyed the disabled planes to keep them from falling into Iranian hands.
US President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration monitored the mission from the White House Situation Room.
During the operation to rescue the pilot on Friday, an Iranian strike hit a US Black Hawk helicopter involved in the mission.
Although several personnel aboard were injured, the helicopter was able to continue flying.
