During the night, about 100 U.S. special forces infiltrated Iranian territory and reached the mountainous area where the injured officer was located, in order to extract him to a secret evacuation point. However, the two MC-130s that were supposed to transport part of the group were unable to take off due to technical issues. As a result, the command decided to send additional aircraft and organize the evacuation in stages.
Ultimately, as reported by Reuters, the entire group was successfully evacuated through several flights. Meanwhile, the malfunctioning MC-130s and four helicopters were destroyed to prevent sensitive equipment from falling into enemy hands.
The rescued officer is the second from the F-15E crew that was shot down on April 3 over Isfahan. The first pilot was rescued earlier. According to the agency, the injured serviceman was hiding in the mountains and made contact with American forces himself, going through a verification process to avoid potential traps.
During the operation, according to Reuters, the CIA conducted a disinformation campaign, spreading false information in Iran that the pilot had already been found and was being evacuated. At the same time, American forces jammed Iranian detection systems and struck roads near the officer's hiding place.
After the operation was completed, U.S. President Donald Trump described it as one of the boldest search-and-rescue missions in the country's history. At the same time, Iran claimed that several targets of American and Israeli air forces were destroyed during the operation, although these statements did not receive independent confirmation.
Additionally, according to Reuters, during the same period, another American aircraft, the A-10 Warthog, crashed over the Persian Gulf area. The agency also reported that since the beginning of the conflict, 13 American servicemen have died as a result of hostilities, and more than 300 have been injured.
