After two days behind enemy lines, hunted by Iranian forces, a missing F-15E weapons systems officer was rescued by the U.S. on Sunday after being forced to eject from his aircraft.
The rescue operation was a masterclass of U.S. military prowess, involving the CIA, SEAL Team 6, and a hastily constructed airstrip 200 miles deep in Iranian territory.
BREAKING: Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos extracted the ejected US F-15E pilot from Iran in a "massive operation" involving hundreds of special operations troops and military personnel.
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) April 5, 2026
We will do everything to bring home our troops.
U.S. Weapons Systems Officer, who was just recovered and is safe, evaded capture from Iran by hiking to hiding in an elevated ridge and then sending out a beacon.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 5, 2026
A complex successful mission took place to get the officer, resulting in some U.S. injuries.pic.twitter.com/fpqvkgzkYS
While the pilot was rescued within six hours of the ejection, the weapons officer, armed with only a pistol, climbed a 7,000-foot mountain and found a crevice to use as shelter and concealment, according to the New York Times, which conducted interviews with several officials familiar with the operation.
The U.S. military was then able to lock onto the officer's signal beacon, nearly 14 hours after the crash, and launched its rescue operation.
It began with misdirecting Iranian forces, some of which had located the mountain where the Air Force colonel was hidden. The CIA "revealed" to Iranian forces that they had located and were in the process of extracting the downed airman via ground convoy. The ploy worked, as the IRGC redirected their forces to roads leaving the region, but still intensified their search.
The CIA, along with Israeli intelligence and the U.S. military, then used specialized equipment to determine whether the colonel was alone or if he had been captured and his beacon was being used to lure American forces into a trap.
Once they confirmed the officer was alone, they launched the ground phase of the rescue operation, involving roughly 100 special forces operators spearheaded by SEAL Team 6, with Delta Force operators and Army Rangers on standby. A larger, more conventional force, comprised of helicopters, surveillance aircraft, fighter jets, and aerial tankers, was also positioned to provide support.
BREAKING: Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos extracted the ejected US F-15E pilot from Iran in a "massive operation" involving hundreds of special operations troops and military personnel, per NYT.
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) April 5, 2026
This marks the first confirmed US ground operation in the Iran War. pic.twitter.com/s2NGl8BLYb
As SEAL Team 6 moved in to extract the officer, American and Israeli forces struck the surrounding area. The ground team quickly located him, rushed him to a helicopter, and transported him to an airstrip inside Iran that had been pre-positioned for a situation like this.
The original plan was to immediately board a C-130 and fly the officer and rescue team to Kuwait, but a technical failure with the aircraft delayed the operation by several hours.
Replacement aircraft eventually arrived at the airstrip, allowing the operation to proceed. Once U.S. forces had cleared the area, the military destroyed the abandoned C-130s to prevent the technology from falling into enemy hands.
"WE GOT HIM!" President Trump wrote on Truth Social moments later. "My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND!"
No U.S. forces were killed during the operation.