How the rescue of a US airman unfolded in a remote part of Iran. Seven hours ago. Ich werde Gabriela Pomeroy sein. Was ist denn los? The US military conducted a dramatic rescue operation to save a missing crew member after his fighter jet was downed in a remote area of Iran. Details of the incident are still unclear, but the ground extraction from hostile territory was highly complex. US media reported involvement of dozens of special forces operatives, US warplanes and helicopters, and the CIA. On Sunday, President Donald Trump posted on social media: “We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran.” The airman’s ordeal started on Friday after reports emerged that an F-15 jet, carrying a weapons systems officer and a pilot, had been shot down over southern Iran. The incident marked the first time in over 20 years that a US fighter jet was downed by enemy fire. The two US military personnel aboard the F-15E Strike Eagle successfully ejected from the aircraft; the pilot was rescued that same day, but the second crew member remained missing. Follow along for live updates. Analysis: Trump claims victory in Iran war following rescue, yet threats to US operation persist. The US then launched a frantic race against time to find him. Iran stated it wanted him captured alive and put up a £153,000 ($66,100) bounty. Unverified social media videos, not checked by the BBC, seemed to depict armed civilians hunting for him. Once downed, the airman had just a handgun for defense, according to US officials. He would have been trained for such scenarios, including activating his beacon, seeking high ground, hiding, and setting up comms. US media reports claimed he concealed himself in a mountain crevice, limited his beacon use out of fear Iran might detect it, and waited for rescuers. A top Trump administration official told US media the CIA was pivotal in the rescue, pinpointing his crevice location and relaying it to the Pentagon. Trump noted US officials monitored him “24 hours a day” during rescue planning. The president added that he was “being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour.” Reports say the CIA also conducted a deception effort, circulating false info in Iran that US forces had already located the second airman. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the US military deployed “dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him.” As special forces approached the stranded airman, bombs and gunfire were employed to block Iranian troops from his position, per reports. US media further reported that two transport planes meant for rescue teams couldn’t depart from a remote Iranian base and were destroyed to prevent enemy capture. Special forces deployed on three additional aircraft to retrieve the crews, according to the reports. Footage and photos verified by BBC Verify showed wreckage of a burning aircraft in a mo
