‘Iranians were actively looking for him’: Missing US crew member from F-15 found alive after ‘heavy firefight’

“United States military pulled off one of most daring search and rescue operations in US history, for one of our incredible crew member officers,” he added.“The United States military pulled off one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history,” Trump said.Trump providing details of the rescue operation said, “My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States military pulled off one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history, for one of our incredible crew member officers, who also happens to be a highly respected colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now safe and sound! This brave warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his commander in chief, secretary of war, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and fellow warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue.““At my direction, the US military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the world, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine. This miraculous search and rescue operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave pilot, yesterday, which we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardise our second rescue operation. This is the first time in military memory that two US pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in enemy territory. We will never leave an American warfighter behind! The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a single American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming air dominance and superiority over the Iranian skies. This is a moment that all Americans, Republican, Democrat, and everyone else, should be proud of and united around. We truly have the best, most professional, and lethal military in the history of the world,” Trump added.

Separately, former US Special Forces personnel and journalist Jack Murphy claimed the airman had been located alive. In a post on X, Murphy wrote, “Good news for once. F-15 WSO recovered alive. Was escaping and evading. Massive firefight on tgt. Iranians were actively looking for him in the area.”However, US officials have not publicly confirmed the recovery.According to CNN, both US and Iranian forces had been conducting search operations in the rugged highlands of Iran’s Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province and the Bakhtiari region. During these operations, Iranian tribesmen reportedly opened fire on American helicopters.Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that local tribal groups targeted two US Black Hawk helicopters on Saturday in the same region.Following the confrontation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps praised the tribal fighters as “courageous, valiant and victorious guardians of the borders,” CNN reported.Footage circulated by Iranian state-affiliated outlets allegedly showed armed Bakhtiari tribesmen patrolling mountainous terrain in Khuzestan province in search of the American airman. In one clip, an individual is heard saying, “God willing, he will be found.”Iranian authorities had also announced financial rewards for information leading to the capture of the missing pilot, according to multiple media reports.The incident follows the downing of two US warplanes on Friday, including an F-15E Strike Eagle, marking a major escalation in the ongoing conflict, according to The Associated Press. One crew member was rescued, while another was initially reported missing.In an email cited by AP, the Pentagon said it had received notification of “an aircraft being shot down” in the Middle East. It also informed the US House Armed Services Committee that the status of one service member remained unknown.US President Donald Trump declined to outline a response if the pilot was harmed or captured. “Well, I can’t comment on it because we hope that’s not going to happen,” he told The Independent in a telephone interview.Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone in Isfahan, according to Fars News Agency.The search for the missing pilot had drawn intense attention as Iran also urged civilians to locate and hand over the “enemy pilot,” while US forces deployed aircraft and helicopters to scan mountainous terrain, AP reported.The developments come amid continued escalation in the West Asia conflict, now in its sixth week. President Trump warned Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them,” according to AP.Iran responded sharply to the warning. “The doors of hell will be opened to you” if Iran’s infrastructure is attacked, Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi said, as reported by Iranian state media and cited by AP.The war, which began with US-Israel strikes on February 28, has killed thousands and expanded across the region, disrupting shipping routes and fuelling fears of further escalation, according to AP.