Iranian Military Insists US Rescue Mission Failed
Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari, representing the Khatam Al-Anbiya central command, states that a US operation at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan was “completely foiled.” He describes it as a deceptive effort to recover a pilot from a downed aircraft. Zolfaghari claims two C-130 transport planes and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed during the two-day mission. He accuses US President Donald Trump of using “empty rhetoric and diversion,” while asserting Iran’s armed forces hold the superior position.
US Special Forces Complete Daring Extraction
US forces executed a high-risk rescue, saving a highly respected colonel and a pilot after their F-15 fighter jet was shot down over a remote Iranian area on Friday. The pilot ejected safely and was retrieved by helicopters that day. The colonel, injured but mobile, evaded Iranian pursuers for nearly 36 hours in rugged mountains, armed only with a handgun. Reaper drones provided overhead protection during his evasion.
Hundreds of special forces personnel, supported by dozens of warplanes and helicopters, participated in the operation. A ground firefight erupted as Iranian forces approached. During extraction, two rescue planes became stuck at a remote airfield and were destroyed by US teams to prevent capture. Three other planes flew to Kuwait, completing the mission before midnight.
President Trump describes the effort as “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US History.” He confirms the colonel is injured but will be “just fine,” noting it marks the first time two US pilots were rescued separately deep in enemy territory. Trump emphasizes that no American warfighter is left behind, with dozens of aircraft carrying “the most lethal weapons in the World” deployed after 24-hour monitoring.
Iranian Media Releases Wreckage Images
Iranian state media shares photos of charred debris from the downed F-15, depicting burnt wreckage across a desert landscape. Additional images show an ejected seat and a video of bullets targeting a Black Hawk helicopter. The Iranian Embassy in Kabul posted images of the destroyed jet, captioning it as a “stealth fighter that now has no escape but to lie under the feet of aerospace warriors,” once thought “invisible and untouchable.”
State media also displays destroyed planes at the airfield, which US officials confirm were intentionally blown up by their own forces.
Escalating Tensions and Regional Fallout
The rescue follows US strikes terminating several Iranian military leaders, shared via footage. Iranian reports claim five deaths in southwest strikes during the operation. Trump states both missions concluded “without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded.”
Iran responds with missile and drone attacks on Israel and Kuwait, prompting air defenses. The UAE reports intercepting missiles aimed at aluminum industries, while Bahrain notes a refinery fire from Iranian aggression. Iran placed a $60,000 bounty on the airmen post-downing.
Trump’s March 26 ultimatum demands Iran make a deal or open the Hormuz Strait, now with 48 hours remaining or face severe consequences. Iranian General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi calls the threat “helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid,” warning “the gates of hell will open for you.” Pakistan offers mediation, with its foreign minister speaking to his Iranian counterpart.
