President Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Air Force General Dan Caine praised a military rescue operation that recovered two downed F‑15E airmen in Iran on April 3, 2026. The aircraft was shot down by enemy forces while supporting Operation Epic Fury. A joint rescue force of 21 aircraft—including A‑10s, KC‑130s, HH‑60W helicopters, and special‑warfare personnel—entered enemy territory and extracted the pilot and weapons‑system officer within about 48 hours, with no U.S. casualties. Trump described the mission as risky, noting it involved 155 aircraft and deception tactics to mislead Iranian forces. The incident marked the only U.S. manned aircraft downed by enemy fire since the operation began on Feb. 28.
© U.S. Government.
Summary adapted from https://war.gov
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