U.S. officials and White House sources say American forces conducted a complex, multi‑aircraft operation to locate and recover a crew member from an F‑15 that was shot down over Iran. The search and extraction involved dozens of commandos, attack helicopters and fixed‑wing aircraft, sources told CBS News.
Online video purports to show the wreckage of two U.S. C‑130 transport planes at a remote Iranian base; U.S. sources say those aircraft were destroyed by American forces to prevent them from being captured, a standard military precaution. Helicopters and other aircraft reportedly kept Iranian fighters from reaching the downed crewman, who had been hiding in mountainous terrain while armed Iranians searched for him, reportedly incentivized with promises of cash rewards.
Sources say the CIA took part in the recovery, including a deception effort that spread false information inside Iran indicating U.S. forces had already recovered the crewman by ground, the officials said.
The F‑15 was downed amid an intense U.S. bombing campaign inside Iran. The strikes have targeted infrastructure and, according to Iranian officials, have caused civilian casualties. Iran has continued to retaliate, launching missiles at targets across the Gulf region and reportedly striking a residential building in Haifa, Israel. Iranian strikes have also been reported against an oil refinery in Iraq and in incidents near Bahrain, Kuwait, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
President Trump posted a profanity‑laced message on social media escalating public threats toward Iran and setting a deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. In the post he demanded that Iran reopen the waterway by Tuesday, warned of additional strikes, and said there would be an Oval Office press conference with military officials to provide more details about the rescue operation.
The president’s tone drew bipartisan criticism in Washington. Opponents called the post irresponsible and urged the administration to present a clearer strategic rationale and plan. Retired U.S. Central Command head Frank McKenzie told Face the Nation that Iran would be well‑served to take the president at his word, while other lawmakers and commentators criticized the language and questioned whether there is a coherent strategy behind the rhetoric.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad‑Bagher Ghalibaf described the threats as “reckless,” and an Iranian spokesperson said the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened only after Tehran received compensation for war damages.
U.S. officials say the F‑15 pilot was rescued within hours and sustained some injuries; President Trump said a second crewman is seriously wounded. The White House and military officials plan to provide additional details at the scheduled press briefing.