There was a big battle in southwestern Iran last night as both Iranian and American forces raced to find the missing F-15E crew member who parachuted out of his stricken aircraft on Friday. U.S. President Trump claimed on Truth Social that the pilot was “safe and sound” following what he described as “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History.” He claimed further that “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.”
But the operation was not without cost. The Iranians have published imagery of what appears to be the burned out wreckage of at least one C-130 transport aircraft and a Blackhawk helicopter. The story according to Reuters, is that the C-130 landed in the desert to pick up the pilot after he was moved by helicopter from a mountainous area, but after it malfunctioned U.S. forces had to destroy at least one of the aircraft to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Iranians.
The Iranians, on the other hand, claimed they destroyed several aircraft. Ebhrahim Zolfaqari, the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters, announced on Sunday, April 5, that that Iranian military forces have destroyed several US aircraft in southern Isfahan, thwarting an attempted mission to rescue a downed American fighter pilot, reported Tasnim.
He said the incident followed desperate efforts by US forces to infiltrate central Iran and extract the pilot. The spokesman stated that a joint operation involving the aerospace and ground forces, volunteer Basij units, and law enforcement servicemen successfully intercepted and neutralized the incoming aircraft. He added that the downed aircraft included two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport plane, all of which were struck and left burning in southern Isfahan.
Trump’s claims aside, there’s no mention so far of the fate of the crews of the destroyed aircraft.
