2nd Pilot rescued

We got them. On April 5th, 2026, day 37 of Operation Epic Fury, US special forces rescued the second crew member of the F-15E fighter jet that was shot down over Iran. Saturday's operation featured a specialized commando unit and massive air cover. The US forces unleashed a heavy hail of fire, and all operators are now out of Iran. This was no easy pickup.

The rescue happened right in the heart of the rugged Zagros Mountains in the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province near Dasht. We are talking about steep, jagged ridge lines topping 7,000 feet. Deep rocky valleys, loose shale slopes, and unforgiving high-altitude terrain make the area perfect for hiding. However, these same elements make the mountains absolute hell for moving fast, especially when an injured pilot faces a relentless hunt by enemy forces.

The Crash and the Manhunt

Iranian air defenses struck the F-15E Strike Eagle on April 3. Both the pilot and the weapons systems officer—a highly respected Air Force Colonel—pulled their ejection handles and escaped the burning jet safely. High-altitude winds caught their parachutes and pushed the two airmen miles apart.

The military launched an immediate recovery mission and rescued the pilot the very next day. During that first daytime raid, the HH-60W Jolly Green rescue helicopters flew into a hornet's nest. They took heavy incoming fire, and several helicopter crew members sustained injuries before limping back to base.

The military kept the second rescue mission completely quiet to protect the missing Colonel. Behind the scenes, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) scrambled their elite units and local militias. They scoured the Black Mountain region and offered massive cash rewards to local villagers.

The IRGC placed a $60,000 bounty on the American's head, hoping to score a major propaganda victory. The manhunt turned the entire region into a deadly, high-stakes game of cat and mouse.

Surviving the Zagros Mountains

The Colonel hit the rocky ground hard and suffered immediate injuries. His military Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training instantly took over. He dropped his parachute and moved away from the burning wreckage as quickly as his body allowed. He used the steep terrain to break the line of sight with the approaching IRGC search parties.

He climbed the jagged ridge lines under the cover of darkness. He selected rocky crevices and shale slopes that leave zero footprints, effectively blinding enemy tracking dogs and ground patrols.

He discarded anything that could reflect light or make noise. The freezing mountain air cut deep into his uniform. He carefully rationed his emergency water and food supplies to keep his energy high. He stayed perfectly motionless for hours in the freezing cold while IRGC vehicles and voices echoed up from the valleys below him.

When the time felt right, he activated his Combat Survivor Evader Locator beacon. He completely avoided long voice calls that the enemy could easily triangulate. Instead, he sent short, encrypted data bursts via satellite. These advanced signals hop frequencies rapidly and look exactly like static noise to enemy electronic trackers.

He transmitted simple messages confirming he survived, he retained his mobility, and he needed extraction. The beacon kept Central Command updated in real-time without giving away his exact position. For nearly 48 hours, he barely moved by day and navigated carefully by night.

Assembling the Ultimate Rescue Force

As soon as Central Command received the survival signals, the military spun up a massive joint special operations team. The preparation happened lightning fast but remained razor sharp. Commanders studied the latest intelligence on IRGC movements. Operators rehearsed the raid on similar mountainous terrain at forward operating bases.

The ground team brought together the absolute best warriors in the military. The roster included Air Force Pararescuemen, Navy SEALs from DEVGRU, Delta Force operators, and Army Green Berets.

The legendary 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the Night Stalkers, provided the lift. They brought MH-6 and AH-6 Little Bird helicopters for fast transport and heavy fire support. HC-130J Combat King tankers flew high above to provide aerial refueling.

MC-130J Commando II transports prepared to land on rough dirt strips deep inside enemy territory. A-10 Thunderbolt II fighters brought their massive cannons. F-35s and F-15Es flew overhead to establish absolute air dominance. MQ-9 Reaper drones scanned the ground for threats. Electronic warfare aircraft jammed Iranian radars and blocked enemy radio communications.

Heavy Fire in the Dark

Late on April 4, the rescue armada flew straight into highly contested territory south of Isfahan. They navigated a deadly maze of Iranian missile bases and nuclear sites. The Night Stalkers dropped the elite ground teams near the Colonel's exact hiding spot in the Black Mountain area. The operators located the Colonel, stabilized his injuries, and started moving him toward the extraction zone.

Suddenly, the Iranian forces who had hunted him for days closed in hard. A massive firefight erupted in the dark. US special operations forces unleashed heavy suppressive fire to protect the injured airman. The A-10 fighters rolled in and dropped devastating close air support directly on the enemy positions.

The AH-6 Little Birds fired rockets and mini-guns into the tree lines. Up above, the MQ-9 Reapers tracked enemy reinforcements and struck down armed fighters who moved within three kilometers of the rescue team. The American warriors held the line and fought with everything they had.

A Fiery Escape

The exfiltration brought its own intense, edge-of-your-seat drama. The rescue force carried the freed Colonel and met at a remote, austere dirt airstrip south of Isfahan. Multiple MC-130J Commando II transports landed inside the hostile territory to pull everyone out. As the heavy planes turned around, two of the MC-130Js sank deep into the soft sand. The massive wheels stuck completely.

The teams had zero time to waste as angry Iranian forces closed in on the airstrip. US special operators immediately rigged high-explosive demolition charges inside the stuck planes. They blew up the aircraft and set them ablaze.

This extreme measure completely denied Iran any captured technology, wreckage, or propaganda victories. Thick black smoke rose from the burning hulls. The operators also destroyed several battle-damaged Little Bird helicopters at the site.

The ground commanders called for immediate backup. Three replacement aircraft—reportedly C-295W special operations transports—flew in fast at low altitude. The entire American force boarded the new planes. They safely secured the injured Colonel and took off into the night sky. The aircraft cleared Iranian airspace and completed the mission.

The United States military proved total dominance. They left no American behind, and no American troops died in the raid. The Colonel sustained injuries but rests safely today. This daring operation stands as one of the most intense search and rescue missions in modern military history.