Iran reveals details of U.S. military rescue operation, claiming the U.S. mission was a "total failure"

MaticHoleFiller · 2026-04-06T14:51:21+00:00

Iranian media reports that the rescue operation by U.S. forces to recover the downed fighter pilot in Iran failed, resulting in multiple aircraft shot down and several soldiers killed. The reports indicate that the U.S. attempted to carry out the rescue at an abandoned airport but was stopped by Iranian armed forces, and the operation ended in complete failure.

MaticHoleFiller

2026-04-06 14:51:21

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Xinhua Tehran April 5 Report: Iranian media reported on April 5 that the U.S. military’s operation inside Iran to rescue a downed fighter pilot has “completely failed,” with multiple U.S. aircraft shot down and several U.S. service members killed.

On April 5, the Iranian Tasnim News Agency cited statements from a spokesperson of the Hatem al-Anbia Central Headquarters of Iran’s Armed Forces, saying that after further investigation by on-site experts, it was found that two “Black Hawk” helicopters and two C-130 transport aircraft were shot down in the U.S. operation.

The spokesperson said that the U.S. military attempted to “carry out a so-called rescue operation” at a decommissioned airfield located in the southern part of Isfahan Province, but due to the timely intervention by Iran’s armed forces, the operation ended in “complete failure.”

On April 5, the Iranian Fars News Agency, citing sources, reported that in the U.S. military’s operation to rescue the fighter pilot, several U.S. service members were killed. The sources also said that the “enemy” attempted to destroy the wreckage of the downed aircraft, and even to destroy the bodies of the U.S. service members who died.

Fars News Agency reported that in the U.S. military pilot search operations conducted in Isfahan Province and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, several U.S. drones and helicopters were destroyed. The report said that local residents and sources confirmed that in the early hours, they had heard the sounds of drones and helicopters flying overhead, as well as multiple bursts of explosions.

An F-15E “Strike Eagle” two-seat fighter jet of the U.S. Air Force was shot down over Iran on the 3rd, and the two personnel on board ejected to escape. On the 4th, U.S. President Trump said that the U.S. military had rescued the two crew members through a rescue operation. He also claimed that there were no American casualties in the rescue operation. (End)

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Edited by Liu Wanli SF014

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