The airman rescued by special operations forces, who Trump said was a colonel, was the weapons-systems officer on the downed F-15, a U.S. official told Reuters. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said several aircraft were destroyed during the U.S. rescue mission, Tasnim news agency reported. Iranian officials had urged citizens to help find him, hoping to gain leverage against Washington in the war Trump and Israel launched on February 28. U.S. AIRCRAFT HITThe rescue effort, involving dozens of military aircraft, encountered fierce resistance from Iran. While Trump has repeatedly sought to portray the Iranian military as being in tatters, they have repeatedly been able to hit U.S. aircraft.

Source: The Star April 05, 2026 20:15 UTC