President Donald Trump revealed Monday that the Air Force officer rescued by U.S. forces avoided capture in Iran for over 48 hours.
U.S. forces rescued the weapons systems officer on Sunday after Iranians shot down his fighter jet two days prior. Trump said that the airman managed to protect himself behind enemy lines despite being in “tough shape” from the crash.
“But in the United States military, we leave no American behind, we don’t do it. So in a breathtaking show of skill and precision, lethality and force, America’s military descended on the area, the real area, engaged the enemy, rescued the stranded officer, destroyed all threats and exited Iranian territory while taking no casualties of any kind,” Trump said. “The heroic F-15 weapons system officer had evaded capture on the ground in Iran. For almost 48 hours, that’s a long time when you’re in tough shape and when you’re bleeding. It’s a long time.”
WATCH:
Iran shot down the F-15E Strike Eagle on Friday, with the first pilot being rescued the same day. U.S. rescue crews and other special operations forces rigorously searched for the other airman after Iranian news organizations reported that a regional governor had offered a bounty for the crew.
Trump said in a Sunday Truth Social post that the rescued airman was “seriously wounded” from the crash. He told NBC News that the takedown would not interfere with any negotiations to end the war in Iran.
Trump also added that the incident resulted in no casualties “of any kind.”
The rescued airman hid behind enemy lines with a pistol for two days. Rescue planes carried the rescue officer to Kuwait for treatment, according to The New York Times.
In an attempt to confuse Iranian forces, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) initiated a deception campaign by claiming they had already rescued the officer, the Times reported. The agency found his hiding place, alerted the Pentagon and launched the rescue operation.
The mission included hundreds of special forces troops, dozens of U.S. warplanes, helicopters and other intelligence capabilities. U.S. attack aircraft opened fire on Iranian convoys to keep them away from the area where the officer hid.
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