US forces have successfully extracted a downed American airman from Iran, with the rescued crew member and the special operations team now “safely out of Iran,” according to reports.
The airman was one of two aboard an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down earlier this week. Both had ejected over southwestern Iran, triggering a high-risk rescue mission.
The second crew member was recovered following intense fighting near the crash site, as US forces carried out a complex operation deep inside Iranian territory, according to Fox News.
Crowds of Iranians take to the streets after reports of gunfire in Iran. Mario Nawfal/X A missile explodes in Iran during a rescue mission for the missing Air Force pilot on April 4, 2026. Mario Nawfal, /X The airman and the rescue team that pulled him “from behind enemy lines in Iran are all safely out of Iran,” the outlet reported, citing two senior US officials.
The operation unfolded amid reported airstrikes and clashes in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, where local officials said multiple people were killed or wounded.
Iranian forces had been searching for the pilot and at one point claimed he had been captured, though those assertions were never verified.
Both F-15E crew members are now safely recovered following the dramatic mission.
