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The United States mounted a massive and risky rescue operation to save the two-man crew of an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down deep in Iran. According to a report by Axios, the Trump administration had pushed 176 aircraft that had flown for nearly 46 hours in the Iranian sky to rescue two of its pilots.

What happened with the US airman in Iran?

It began on April 3, a day that would test American resolve like never before. An F-15E Strike Eagle, America’s premier fighter jet, was shot down over Iran, marking the first US combat aircraft lost since the war erupted on February 28. Both crew members ejected into Iranian territory. The pilot was rescued within hours. But the weapons systems officer vanished into the mountains.

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According to a report by Bloomberg , the injured airman, whose identity is yet to be made public or is never meant to be made public, had sent a distress message from a Boeing device. Reports also claimed the ill-fated pilot had sent only a three-word message- “God Is Good”. This triggered the US administration to activate the emergency operation named "Air Armada".

During a press conference, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, when asked by President Donald Trump about “how many men you sent for the operation?”, he maintained “Wow, that’s a secret”. However, Trump claimed it was in “hundreds “, without elaborating the excat figure.

"Air armada" 

He said the effort involved an "Air armada" of approximately 176 aircraft, hundreds of personnel, advanced CIA surveillance technology, and a sophisticated deception campaign to mislead Iranian forces. The mission featured A-10 Warthogs, HH-60 Jolly Green II rescue helicopters, HC-130 refuellers, drones, strike aircraft, and cargo planes that delivered small helicopters assembled on-site in under 10 minutes.

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During the operation, the US suffered losses too. It acknowledged the loss of three major pieces of equipment, including a Black Hawk. It means the Trump administration spent a million dollars to save one life.

The pilot was recovered within hours of the Friday incident, while the weapons systems officer spent nearly 48 hours hiding in mountainous terrain, evading Iranian forces, according to reports.

US forces destroyed some equipment on the ground to keep it out of Iranian hands before safely exiting Iranian airspace.


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