CENTCOM confirms both F-15E crewmembers rescued from deep inside Iran after 36-hour evasion — operation involved 150+ aircraft and Israeli special forces

CENTCOM confirmed on April 5 that US forces completed the rescue of both F-15E crewmembers after Iran shot down their aircraft on April 2 during a combat mission over Iran. The first crewmember (the pilot) was recovered on April 3, while the weapons system officer (WSO) evaded capture for approximately 36 hours before being secured in a second rescue operation. The rescue was one of the most complex special operations missions of the conflict. US officials described it as involving more than 150 aircraft, CIA deception operations designed to mislead Iranian search forces, and direct assistance from Israeli special operations units — specifically the Shaldag commando unit and Sayeret Matkal. US forces established a makeshift forward airstrip inside Iran, very close to a major Iranian city, to support the extraction. During the operation, a US helicopter came under Iranian fire but returned safely. An A-10 Warthog ground-attack aircraft was hit by fire and eventually crashed after its pilot determined the aircraft was no longer flyable — the pilot survived. The MC-130J Commando II aircraft used for the final extraction experienced a critical issue: their nose landing gear became stuck in the sand at the improvised airstrip. Despite this, the aircraft successfully took off with all personnel aboard. US forces subsequently destroyed two transport aircraft and multiple MH-6 Little Bird helicopters that could not be extracted from the forward site. Trump described the operation as involving two US 'raids,' noting that the second operation kept American forces operating over Iranian territory for seven continuous hours. The WSO is reported to be seriously wounded and is receiving medical treatment in Kuwait. Iranian regime media falsely characterized the operation as a US defeat, claiming Iranian forces 'thwarted' the rescue attempt. Iranian military spokespeople argued that US forces would not have struggled to get the MC-130 off the ground if Iranian air defenses had been neutralized — but the MC-130's difficulty was caused by the sand at the improvised airstrip, not Iranian action. Israel's Channel 12 reported that US airstrikes hit Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province near the suspected crash location during the operation, with some accounts indicating Iranian search units were struck. Iranian media claimed there was no direct ground engagement, while a provincial official reported that strikes on 'Kuh Siah' killed four individuals and wounded six.