US Rescues Second Airman from Iran after "Heavy Firefight"

[Pototan]

Source: Telegraph UK

An American airman who went missing after Iran shot down an F-15 fighter jet has been rescued after a "heavy firefight", a US government official told Al Jazeera.

Although the weapons officer has been recovered, the operation is still ongoing and the crew is still in Iranian territory, Al Jazeera reported.

The official told the TV channel that the conflict means the rescue team is not yet out of danger.

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/05/iran-war-latest-news-trump-strait-hormuz-f15-pilot-rescue/

[underpants]

1. Great news!

[Skittles]

15. I am so, so glad to hear this

not much good news these days but this is great

[RockRaven]

2. With this administration, it behooves everyone to get clarification on whether "rescue"

includes/means alive. Because that is what it would normally mean. But these are not normal times.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

3. Rescue usually means alive,

recovery usually means body recovered.

[Random Boomer]

13. The key word is "usually"

This administration doesn't adhere to the normal standards of anything.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

14. Apparently, in this case,

rescued means alive.

[riversedge]

4. ms now Finally reporting "US FORCES RESCUE MISSING AIRMAN IN IRAN"

JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO THEY WERE AIRING RERUNS.

[rollin74]

5. the airman is alive and getting medical treatment

No American casualties in the rescue operation. There were reportedly hundreds of special forces involved.

[AverageOldGuy]

6. Washington Post reporting rescued, all returned safely

From the WashPost

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/04/04/us-pilot-rescue-iran-f15-crash/

U.S. forces have rescued the missing crew member of a fighter jet that was shot down over Iran, and all personnel involved in the rescue have returned safely, a U.S. official familiar with the operation told The Washington Post, speaking on the condition of anonymity to provide sensitive details not yet made public.

Trump is -- as usual -- claiming credit for the rescue.

[question everything]

7. U.S. Forces Rescue Second American Aviator in Iran - WSJ

U.S. forces rescued an American aviator trapped in Iran in a daring mission early Sunday morning, according to U.S. officials. The crew member had been stuck in Iran for more than 24 hours.

All forces involved in the rescue are safely out of Iranian airspace, according to the officials. The aviator, who hasn't yet been identified, was one of two aircrew flying in an F-15E Strike Eagle when it was shot down by Iranian forces on Friday. A U.S. military team rescued the other crewmember on Friday and that person is now safe.

The rescue comes less than two days before President Trump’s deadline for Iran to negotiate a deal with the U.S. or open the Strait of Hormuz.

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-news-2026?mod=breakingnews

[AverageOldGuy]

8. Here is NYT story -- may be behind paywall

NYT:
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/04/world/iran-war-trump-news

An Air Force officer whose fighter jet had been shot down in Iran was rescued by U.S. Special Operations forces in a risky Saturday night mission that took commandos deep into enemy territory, said current and former U.S. officials briefed on the operation.

The rescue followed a life-or-death race between U.S. and Iranian forces that stretched over two days to reach the injured airman, who was a weapons officer, the officials said. In the end, U.S. commandos extracted the officer in a massive operation that involved hundreds of special operations troops.There were no U.S. casualties among the rescue team, a senior U.S. military official said. All the commandos, and the weapons officer returned safely. Rescue planes flew to Kuwait to treat the injured weapons officer.

I have seen one report that we destroyed two of our rescue aircraft. MSNOW is reporting (12:17 AM EDST, 4/5/2026) that two "transport aircraft" were damaged, replacement aircraft were flown in, the two damaged aircraft were destroyed by US forces.

[calimary]

9. SOOOOOOOOO glad they found the missing airman.

David Rohde: “Amazing that he was able to evade capture.”

[fujiyamasan]

12. Once we (hopefully) return to saner times

It will make for a great Hollywood movie. Right now, I’d rather this shitty real time movie end asap.

Either way, this was an impressive rescue. Glad to hear they were able to make it out.

[diverdownjt]

16. I smell a movie plot coming....

So very glad they are all safe!!!!

[AZ8theist]

10. Great news, but....

Why is Doturd "praising" the airman?

I thought they were all "losers and suckers"??

And he doesn't like pilots who get shot down, right?

Doturd is a complete shitshow. Here's hoping he's FUCKING DEAD REAL SOON!!!

[thought crime]

17. Good point! Maybe Trump learned something and can finally forgive John McCain.

The difference, of course, is that D.Trump wasn't available to direct the rescue of John McCain, so he got captured.

[diverdownjt]

18. I agree with your last sentence....

10,000%

I'm mad as hell right now that our people are being put in harms way by a shitbird who could care less about them.
Why do any of them continue to support him.

[AZ8theist]

20. Me to.

Our brave service people should NEVER have been put in this position.

It's almost equivalnt of the poor souls who are being slaughtered in Ukraine by that dictatorial meglomanical fool in the Kremlin.
ZERO care about life of anyone. This stupidity was accomplished because Dotard needed a distraction from his child raping in the Epstein files as well as Netanyahu convincing an idiot to do his bidding.

Putin and Dotard will go down in history of the most incompetent leaders in world history.

[liberalla]

11. Thank goodness he's been found and rescued! Now stop the bombing and the war!

This whole thing needs to stop NOW.

[diverdownjt]

19. The Epstein files are still out there...

Must continue the distraction...I mean exscursion...war...military action...whatever it is called.
I call it an abomination and a war crime. Can someone drag this fucker to the Hague so we can
begin it's trial??
How do you hold a demon accountable?

[Polybius]

21. Nice!

And just in time for Easter!