The second missing crew member of the downed US fighter jet in Iran has been successfully rescued and is now safely outside Iranian territory. Previously, he had evaded Iranian authorities for two days. Later, US forces—likely a special operations unit—rescued him.
Al Jazeera correspondent John Hendren reported that the rescue operation was conducted under the cover of darkness and was extremely risky. Intense gunfire occurred during the operation, posing a danger to the rescue team as well. Although initially rescued, uncertainty remained regarding the safety of the crew member and others involved in the operation. According to the latest information, he is now completely safe and has reached a secure location.
US President Donald Trump stated that the rescued officer is a weapons officer with the rank of colonel. The US military conducted a meticulously planned operation, involving 24-hour surveillance, to rescue him. He said, “Dozens of aircraft, equipped with the most powerful weapons in the world, were sent to rescue him. He sustained injuries but will make a full recovery.”
Trump further noted, “These two rescue operations were completed without any US military personnel killed or injured. This proves that our full control and superiority in Iranian airspace have been established.”
It is worth noting that the term “airman” is gender-neutral in US military terminology. No information regarding the gender of the rescued individual has been released yet.
However, no official reaction to this operation has been received from Iran so far.