US special forces have rescued the second crew member of a US Air Force F-15 shot down over Iran, according to Axios, with President Donald Trump later confirming the operation on Truth Social.
Axios reported, citing three US officials, that the rescued officer was injured after ejecting from the aircraft on Friday. Despite his injuries, he was able to move on foot and spent more than a day hiding in mountainous terrain, avoiding capture while waiting for extraction.
The incident reportedly triggered urgent concern within the US military, as Iranian forces were also said to be searching for the missing American officer in south-western Iran. According to the report, both crew members of the downed F-15 were ultimately recovered in separate US special operations missions carried out inside Iranian territory.
One source cited by Axios said the operation to recover the second crew member took place on Saturday and involved a special operations unit supported by substantial air cover. US forces reportedly used intense suppressive fire during the mission. The same source said all American personnel involved in the operation have since been withdrawn from Iran.
Trump and senior members of his administration reportedly monitored the rescue from the White House Situation Room. In his statement on Truth Social, Trump described the mission as one of the boldest search-and-rescue operations in US history.
He said that, on his orders, the US military had deployed dozens of aircraft armed with what he described as the world’s deadliest weapons in order to recover the wounded officer. Trump also claimed the two operations marked the first time in military history that two American pilots had been rescued separately from deep inside hostile territory.
He further said that both missions had been completed without any American deaths or injuries among the rescue forces. Trump presented the outcome as further evidence of US military superiority over Iran.
The rescue followed earlier reports that US forces had already located and recovered the first crew member of the F-15. Separate reports also said Iran shot down another US military aircraft, an A-10 Thunderbolt II, on 3 April, although that pilot was also reported to have survived.
The developments come against the background of sharply rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Trump had previously threatened new strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power stations, while reports also suggested that attempts by intermediaries to move the two sides towards a ceasefire had stalled.
