US rescues downed pilot as Iran claims new shootdown

The United States says it has rescued the second crew member of a downed F-15 fighter jet in Iran, closing a high-risk operation that unfolded behind enemy lines — even as Tehran claims it shot down another US aircraft during the effort.

President Donald Trump confirmed the rescue on Sunday, describing the pilot as injured but safe after evading Iranian forces for days in mountainous terrain.

“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies,” Trump said. “He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine.”

The pilot, identified as a colonel, was the second member of the crew to be recovered after the jet was reportedly shot down by Iranian air defences earlier in the week. The first airman had already been rescued, prompting an intensive search for the second.

The operation appears to have involved a large-scale military effort under pressure. Reports from the ground suggest the pilot avoided capture for roughly two days before US forces moved in, triggering a prolonged firefight in daylight — an unusually exposed scenario for such missions.

“This miraculous search and rescue operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave pilot yesterday, which we did not confirm because we did not want to jeopardise our second rescue operation,” Trump added.

However, the situation remains contested. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it shot down a US aircraft involved in the rescue mission in Isfahan province. According to Iranian media, the plane was a C-130-class aircraft destroyed during the operation, though US officials have not confirmed that account.

On the ground, there has been no official Iranian confirmation of the pilot’s rescue, even as reports indicate continued air strikes near the crash site in the past 24 hours.

The incident comes as the war enters its sixth week, highlighting both the intensity of the conflict and the risks tied to US operations inside Iranian territory. It also underscores how quickly military narratives diverge, with Washington emphasising a successful extraction and Tehran pointing to further US losses.

Trump framed the outcome as a demonstration of military strength.

“The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a single American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again that we have achieved overwhelming air dominance and superiority over the Iranian skies,” he said.

At the same time, separate incidents continue to complicate that picture. An A-10 fighter was also reported downed over Kuwait, with the pilot ejecting, though details on injuries remain unclear.