Good evening. Top stories tonight: U.S. forces carried out a high-risk operation deep inside Iran to recover an American aviator after an F-15 was downed; President Trump intensified his rhetoric toward Tehran in an expletive-laden social media post and set a deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz; Iran kept striking targets across the region; and the news is reverberating from Washington to the Vatican and NASA. Here are the key developments.
Complex rescue inside Iran
U.S. and White House officials described a complex, dangerous mission to retrieve a member of the F-15 crew after the jet was shot down. The operation involved dozens of special operators and multiple aircraft, including attack helicopters and jets that suppressed nearby Iranian forces while teams recovered the wounded crew member. The other pilot was located and evacuated earlier and also sustained injuries.
Video shared online showed what was reported to be wreckage of two U.S. C-130 transport planes at a remote Iranian site. U.S. sources told CBS News those transports were deliberately destroyed by U.S. forces to prevent their capture — a precautionary move consistent with past military practice.
Officials said the CIA did more than supply intelligence, running a deception campaign inside Iran to feed false reports that the crewman had been secured and was being moved by ground to distract Iranian search efforts. A White House briefing with military leaders was scheduled to provide additional details.
Trump sets deadline; bipartisan concern
President Trump posted a profanity-filled message aimed at Iran’s leadership, asserting U.S. forces had recovered the aviator and ordering that the Strait of Hormuz be reopened by Tuesday to allow commercial traffic to flow. The post prompted sharp criticism from lawmakers of both parties, who condemned the language and questioned the strategy, warning that aggressive public threats could inflame the situation without a clear, broader plan.
Some military figures urged caution while acknowledging the forcefulness of the president’s message, but many officials and analysts said bluster risks escalating the conflict rather than resolving it.
Iranian response and regional strikes
Iran said it would only reopen the Strait after receiving compensation for wartime damage. Meanwhile, Iranian forces continued strikes across the region. Missile attacks struck multiple targets in the Gulf; missiles also hit an oil refinery in Iraq. Israeli authorities reported impacts and damage from incoming projectiles, including strikes in and near Haifa.
Pope appeals for peace at Easter
In Rome, the pope used his Easter address to plead for peace, urging global leaders, including the U.S. president, to seek a way out of confrontation. Thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square as the pontiff denounced war and appealed for restraint, repeating calls made throughout the week for those with weapons to put them down.
Artemis II photographs far side of the moon
NASA’s Artemis II crew, on a mission that has taken them farther from Earth than any humans in nearly five decades, has been photographing the far side of the moon. Astronauts described unfamiliar lunar terrain not visible from Earth and shared a message of perspective and unity for the holiday. The Orion capsule will swing behind the moon, briefly losing communications for about 40 minutes during the historic flyby.
Travel, weather and consumer impacts
Severe storms swept across the Midwest and East Coast, causing flooding in parts of Michigan and disrupting holiday travel. Meteorologists warned of a late-season cold snap with frost and freeze advisories across the Ohio Valley and East Coast.
The conflict in the Middle East has pushed jet fuel prices sharply higher — nearly doubling since the uptick in strikes — prompting airlines worldwide to add surcharges and U.S. carriers to raise ticket and baggage fees. Travel experts are urging travelers to lock in summer plans soon, warning higher fares may persist.
Other headlines
– College basketball: UCLA captured the women’s national championship with a 79–51 win over South Carolina, their first title since 1978. The men’s final will pit UConn against Michigan.
– Arizona hiker: A hiker stung more than 100 times by a swarm of bees was airlifted and hospitalized in serious condition.
– New York: Thousands braved rain at the Easter parade on Fifth Avenue, many wearing colorful bonnets.
– California wildlife: Both eggs in a well-known bald eagle nest have hatched; officials also rescued an abandoned baby mountain lion now under care at the Oakland Zoo.
– France culture: Gospel choirs continue to draw large, enthusiastic audiences in Paris, their emotional performances rooted in African American spirituals.
That’s the weekend news for this Easter Sunday. Have a good week.