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3. Inside the High-Risk U.S.-CIA Operation to Rescue a Downed Airman in Iran

The United States carried out a high-risk, coordinated operation involving both the U.S. military and the Central Intelligence Agency to rescue a missing crew member of a fighter jet shot down over Iran.

The mission, described as both dramatic and politically sensitive, successfully brought the serviceman home, marking the end of a tense episode in the ongoing conflict. 

In a statement posted early Sunday on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said, “WE GOT HIM!” He characterized the operation as one of the most “daring” search-and-rescue missions in U.S. history.

All personnel involved reportedly returned safely. In a subsequent post, Trump revealed that the rescued airman, identified as a colonel, had been “seriously wounded.” He is expected to provide further details during a scheduled press conference on Monday.

To facilitate the rescue, the CIA reportedly launched a deception campaign inside Iran, spreading misinformation that U.S. forces had already secured the airman and were transporting him overland. According to officials speaking on condition of anonymity to the Washington Post, this tactic successfully diverted Iranian search efforts.

Meanwhile, the CIA was able to pinpoint the airman’s location and relay critical intelligence to military commanders and the White House, prompting Trump to authorize the extraction. One administration official described the mission as the ultimate “needle in a haystack.” 

Military officials indicated to the Washington Post that the operation required extensive coordination with nearly every available U.S. aircraft in the region contributing to the effort. As American forces withdrew, they destroyed two C-130 cargo planes and at least two MH-6 “Little Bird” helicopters that had become immobilized on a makeshift airstrip, preventing the equipment from falling into Iranian hands. Early in the mission, there were concerns that the emergency beacon signal might have been an Iranian trap.

Once the CIA confirmed that the situation was not a trap, advanced technical capabilities were used to locate the missing airman. 

The U.S. military deployed MQ-9 Reaper drones to secure the area where the airman was located, targeting any approaching threats. A senior official confirmed that multiple large-scale strikes were carried out in the surrounding the area, involving a wide array of tactical aircraft as well as B-1 bombers, to ensure the safety of the extraction operation.

Additionally, Israeli intelligence reportedly played a key role. According to a source cited by Reuters, Israel assisted the CIA in confirming the airman’s location and ruling out the possibility of an Iranian trap. Israeli forces also halted their own military activity in the perimeter to support the success of the mission.