US President Donald Trump revealed details of the high-risk rescue mission inside Iran, where the downed F-15 crew member was feared to have fallen into enemy hands. The concern began when the pilot, after ejecting, sent a short radio message, โPower be to God.โ A US defence official later clarified the exact words were โGod is good,โ but Trump said the phrasing โdidnโt sound right,โ raising fears that the pilot might be in Iranian custody and sending false signals.
Fears of trap later ruled out
According to Trump, US forces briefly suspected the message could be part of a trap to lure them into danger. However, those fears were later dismissed when officials confirmed the pilot was alive and known to be deeply religious, explaining the message. The stranded crew member survived for more than a day while injured, hiding in mountainous terrain. Trump said the pilot took shelter in a crevice as Iranian forces searched the area.ย
โThousands of these savages were hunting him down,โ he claimed, adding that civilians were allegedly offered rewards to capture the pilot.
US forces used advanced technology and tracking signalsm described by Trump as โbeeping informationโ to locate the pilot. Around 200 special operations troops were involved in the mission.ย One rescue took place during the day under heavy fire, described by a US official as โa bold and quick snatch,โ while a second operation was carried out at night after setting up a temporary base inside Iran.
Two pilots, separate rescues
The F-15E jet, which Trump said was brought down by a shoulder-fired missile, crashed on April 3. Both crew members ejected safely but landed miles apart. One was rescued quickly, while the second, surrounded by what Trump described as โhundreds of IRGC soldiersโ was recovered later on April 5.
Trump said Israel assisted โa little bitโ in the operation. While Israeli forces did not provide the pilotโs exact location, they shared general intelligence and carried out a strike to prevent Iranian troops from reaching the area.ย
โThey have been good partnersโฆ We are like a big brother and little brother,โ Trump said.