US rescues airman whose F-15 was downed in Iran, US officials say

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON, April 4 (Reuters) – The United States rescued an airman caught behind enemy lines after Iran shot down his F-15 fighter jet, the government said early on Sunday, resolving a major crisis for President Donald Trump with the war on Iran in its sixth week.

“Over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History,” according to a statement from Trump posted by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on X.

Trump said the crew member was injured but “he will be just fine.”

The airman was the second member of a two-person crew of an F-15 that Iran said on Friday was brought down by its air defenses. Reuters reported on Friday that the first member of the crew had been recovered, triggering a high-profile search for remaining airman by both Iran and the United States.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by William Mallard)