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President Donald Trump announced early Sunday morning the successful rescue of an American colonel who had been trapped in the mountains of Iran after his fighter jet was shot down, describing it as one of the boldest military operations in U.S. history.
"WE HAVE IT! My fellow Americans, in the past few hours, the United States Army conducted one of the boldest search and rescue operations in U.S. history," declared Trump at 12:08 AM on his Truth Social platform.
The rescued individual is a weapons systems officer —the second crew member of an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet shot down by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard last Friday— who spent over 36 hours evading enemy forces in the mountainous terrain of southwestern Iran before being recovered alive.
"This brave warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being pursued by our enemies who were getting closer with each passing hour," wrote Trump, who asserted that the colonel was never alone because the military command was monitoring his location 24 hours a day.
According to Trump, the soldier used his survival and evasion training to distance himself from the accident site, activate an emergency beacon, and hide in elevated terrain while U.S. forces planned his rescue. The operation involved an armed confrontation with Iranian forces and air support from multiple military branches.
"By my order, the United States Army sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the world, to recover him. He was injured, but he will be fine," stated the president, who did not provide further details about the colonel's condition. According to independent sources, the soldier was evacuated to Kuwait for medical treatment.
This rescue is the second in less than 48 hours. The pilot of the same F-15E had been recovered on the very Friday, hours after the downing, although Trump did not publicly confirm it at that time to avoid compromising the second operation. "This is the first time in military history that two American pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in enemy territory," the president emphasized.
Iran, for its part, had mobilized civilians, local tribes, and units of the Revolutionary Guard in a massive search to capture the colonel alive before the rescuers arrived, offering rewards as reported by Iranian state television. The Tehran regime claimed the downing of the F-15E and broadcast images of the aircraft's wreckage, although its media incorrectly identified it as an F-35.
Trump seized the announcement to project an image of absolute military superiority. "The fact that we were able to carry out both operations without a single American killed or even injured demonstrates once again that we have achieved overwhelming air dominance and superiority over Iranian skies," he stated. However, specialized media outlets such as The War Zone and Military Times confirmed that two helicopters were damaged by Iranian fire during the first rescue and several crew members were injured, a discrepancy that the White House has not clarified.
The double rescue occurs in the context of the Epic Fury Operation, launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel against Iran, and at a moment of heightened tension: the day before, Trump had announced a massive attack on Tehran and issued a 48-hour ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which had been closed since March 4.
“WE WILL NEVER LEAVE A U.S. SOLDIER BEHIND!” Trump concluded his message, adding: “We truly have the best, most professional, and most lethal military in the history of the world.”
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