The missing crew member of a US fighter jet that was downed over Iran on Friday has been rescued.
US President Donald Trump confirms that US airmen were rescued, calling the mission to get back the navigator Saturday “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History,” in a message on his Truth Social network.
Trump says the unnamed crew member was injured but “will be just fine,” describing him as “SAFE and SOUND!”
The soldier was stuck in “the treacherous mountains of Iran” and was rescued as enemy forces closed in on him, he writes.
“At my direction, the U.S. Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him,” he writes, also confirming the rescue of the pilot of the F-15E a day earlier.
“This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory,” he writes. “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.
Retrieved crew member ‘sustained injuries,’ says Trump
“He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine,” Trump continues in his Truth Social post about the retrieved crew member.
The “miraculous” mission comes after the rescue of “another brave pilot” yesterday, which Trump says “we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation”.
He writes: “WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND!”
US officials are celebrating the news
Current and former officials I’ve been in touch with tonight are already celebrating the rescue.
“The US military has an ethos to never leave someone behind,” says Mick Mulroy, a former US Marine, CIA paramilitary officer and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East.
“Today was an incredible example of that core commitment.
“The US military, the intelligence community and especially those that carried this out, deserve the gratitude of the American people,” he adds.
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