U.S. Destroys Aircraft Left Behind During Iran Rescue Mission
The United States destroyed an aircraft stranded during the Iran rescue mission to prevent its capture, while successfully evacuating all personnel involved, according to Fox News.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The United States destroyed at least one aircraft left behind during a rescue mission in Iran to prevent it from falling into enemy hands, after complications forced the aircraft to be abandoned during the extraction of a downed U.S. weapons systems officer, according a Fox News report.
The report said an aircraft, possibly a C-130 Hercules, became stuck in mud during the operation and could not be recovered. U.S. forces subsequently destroyed the aircraft on the ground, while additional aircraft were deployed to safely evacuate all personnel involved in the mission, according to Fox News.
The development came amid a broader U.S. military operation to locate and extract a weapons systems officer whose F-15E Strike Eagle had been shot down over Iran. Two senior U.S. officials and regional sources confirmed to Fox News that the airman was successfully located and evacuated after initially being unaccounted for behind enemy lines.
According to the report, the service member had ejected from the aircraft along with the pilot when the jet was struck in southwest Iran. The weapons systems officer then reportedly moved to higher ground, climbing several thousand feet up a ridge and remaining concealed for nearly 48 hours while awaiting rescue.
Fox News reported that the airman used either encrypted communications or an emergency beacon to assist U.S. forces in locating his position. The search effort involved a coordinated intelligence and military response, with the CIA playing a central role in identifying the service member’s location.
A senior administration official cited by Fox News said the CIA conducted what was described as a “deception campaign” inside Iran prior to the rescue mission. The agency reportedly spread information suggesting that U.S. forces had already located and were moving the airman on the ground, contributing to confusion among Iranian forces.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin reported that the CIA used advanced capabilities to pinpoint the service member’s position, describing the effort as comparable to “looking for a needle in a haystack.” The agency then relayed the location to the Pentagon and the White House, prompting the authorization of a rescue operation.
President Donald Trump ordered the mission, which was carried out by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) with real-time intelligence support from the CIA, according to the report. Hundreds of U.S. personnel, including elite special operations forces, participated in the operation, alongside aircraft from multiple military branches.
A senior official told Fox News that the mission did not involve direct firefighting between U.S. and Iranian forces, although U.S. personnel did discharge weapons to prevent Iranian forces from approaching the rescue site.
Separate reporting indicated that Israel assisted in the operation by sharing intelligence with U.S. forces and helping to halt Iranian air activity in the area during the 36-hour period in which the rescue mission was conducted. Israeli involvement was limited to support roles, according to the report.
President Trump stated that dozens of aircraft were involved in the operation. In a message posted on Truth Social, he described the mission as one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts in U.S. military history and confirmed that the rescued airman was “safe and sound.”
Trump also said that a second U.S. pilot had been rescued in a separate operation in Iran, describing the dual recoveries as unprecedented. He said both missions were completed without any U.S. casualties or injuries, emphasizing what he characterized as U.S. air superiority during the operation.
Fox News reported that the downed airman sustained injuries but was expected to recover. The report also noted that all U.S. personnel involved in the rescue missions had safely exited Iranian territory following the operations.
The destruction of the stranded aircraft occurred as part of standard operational procedures to prevent sensitive equipment from being captured, according to the report. The aircraft had been involved in the extraction effort but was rendered inoperable due to ground conditions.
The broader rescue mission unfolded over several phases, beginning with intelligence gathering and culminating in the coordinated deployment of air and ground assets. Officials cited in the report emphasized the complexity of operating in hostile territory and the need for rapid decision-making under uncertain conditions.
The reports did not specify the exact location of the rescue operation within Iran or provide further technical details about the aircraft destroyed.
The incident underscores the logistical challenges encountered during high-risk recovery missions in contested environments, particularly when equipment cannot be extracted as planned.