Wikipedia

2026 United States F-15E rescue operation in Iran

In early April 2026, a combat search and rescue (CSAR) operation was conducted by the United States Armed Forces to recover two crew members of an F-15E Strike Eagle of 494th Fighter Squadron that was shot down over Iran by Iranian forces on 3 April 2026, during the 2026 Iran war.[12]

2026 United States F-15E rescue operation in Iran
Part of the 2026 Iran war
An F-15E Strike Eagle of the 494th Fighter Squadron, similar to the aircraft shot down
TypeCombat search and rescue
Locations
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, Iran

30°42′N 51°36′E / 30.7°N 51.6°E / 30.7; 51.6 (approximate F-15E wreckage site)
Near Mahyar, Isfahan province

32°13′17″N 51°54′05″E / 32.2213°N 51.9014°E / 32.2213; 51.9014 (U.S. forward operating base)
Date3–5 April 2026 (2 days)
Executed by
OutcomeBoth crew members rescued
CasualtiesUnited States:
  • 2 crew from F-15E injured[a]
  • Some crew aboard UH-60 helicopters injured[4]
Iran:
LossesUnited States:
2026 United States F-15E rescue operation in Iran is located in Iran
F-15E wreckage
F-15E wreckage
U.S. FOB
U.S. FOB
Locations of F-15E wreckage and U.S forward operating base

The pilot was rescued by U.S. forces seven hours after the crash.[13] The operation involved hundreds of U.S. troops and dozens of aircraft.[14] The weapon systems officer (WSO) escaped in the area of the Zagros Mountains, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), U.S. combat search and rescue personnel, and the local nomadic tribesmen worked to find him. The WSO was recovered by U.S. forces supported by 155 aircraft.[15] A U.S. military official described it as "one of the most challenging and complex [missions] in the history of U.S. special operations."[12]

Iran claimed multiple aircraft shootdowns during the rescue operation. The U.S. claimed there had been a shootdown of one of its A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft,[9] and the intentional destruction of two of its Lockheed MC-130 transport aircraft and four helicopters to avoid capture.[12] Iran later claimed the "operation may have been a deceptive plan to steal enriched uranium" of Iran's nuclear program,[16][17] and compared the operation to the failed 1980 Operation Eagle Claw, the last publicly acknowledged U.S. military ground operation in Iran.[18]

Background

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F-15E shootdown
Shootdown
Date3 April 2026 (2026-04-03)
SummaryShot down by Iranian forces
Site
Map
Aircraft
Aircraft typeMcDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle
OperatorUnited States Air Force
Call signDude 44
Crew2
Fatalities0
Injuries2
Survivors2

On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel started a series of surprise attacks on a variety of military and industrial targets across Iran, thus starting the war with Iran.[19][20] On 24 March, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Iran was unable to "do a thing" about U.S. aircraft operating in its airspace.[21][22]

On 3 April, an American F-15E Strike Eagle (call sign Dude 44)[23] was shot down by Iran with a shoulder-fired missile,[24][25] which the BBC described as a "significant blow" to Trump's administration.[21] The two crew members ejected and landed in Iranian territory.[26][27]

Rescue operation

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An F-15E Strike Eagle has a crew of a pilot and a weapon systems officer (WSO). The U.S. military launched an immediate rescue operation to extract the two crewmen from Iranian territory, using special operations forces and air support assets.[28] The pilot was successfully rescued by U.S. forces hours after the crash,[29][30] but the WSO, who held the rank of colonel, was still missing.[3] According to BBC, Trump's national security team spent much of the day in the West Wing. According to the Wall Street Journal, throughout the operation they only briefed the President at key moments of the mission.[31] Publicly, Trump played down the incident, but privately, it was likely considered "a serious concern", as the capture of the airman would have been a "political embarrassment" for the U.S. government.[21]

Iranian and U.S. forces engaged in a race to find the second crew member.[32] U.S. surveillance drones failed to find the airman, and he was "status unknown".[33] The airman hiked a 7,000-foot (2,100 m) ridgeline[33] in the Zagros Mountains foothills and hid in a mountain crevice and restricted the use of his emergency beacon signal so that it would not be picked up by Iran.[15]

While tracking the airman, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) launched a disinformation campaign in Iran claiming that the airman was already rescued.[34] The CIA shared the beacon signal's location with the Pentagon, which had to confirm that the beacon was not an Iranian trap.[15] The airman sent a short radio message, saying "God is good".[35] The CIA then reportedly used a special technology to locate the airman.[35][c] The CIA also used the so-called "unconventional assisted recovery" process by contacting civilians willing to assist U.S. military forces.[35] Airstrikes were used to keep Iranian forces away from that area.[15] The U.S. used an abandoned agricultural airstrip (200 ft by 3900 ft) 14 mi (23 km) north of Shahreza city in southern Isfahan as a temporary forward operating base,[5] which was operated and protected by operators from Delta Force,[2] while Iran offered a reward of approximately US$60,000 for information leading to the airman.[39][40][26][41]

The U.S. forces, which included Air Force special tactics teams[42] and Navy special warfare operators from DEVGRU (also known as "SEAL Team Six"),[43] raced not only against IRGC forces, but also local Bakhtiari nomadic tribesmen who are traditionally armed with hunting rifles and familiar with the Zagros Mountains terrain.[44][45] During the operation U.S. aircraft and drones provided fire support.[34] Two helicopters were hit by small-arms fire originating from the tribesmen, but remained operational.[46][47][48] Some of the helicopter crew were wounded.

Iran claimed it disrupted the rescue operation and shot down many U.S. aircraft.[34] The U.S. later announced the operation as a success, stating two stuck MC-130 special operations transport planes were deliberately destroyed at the abandoned airstrip after replacement aircraft arrived and flew out the rescued WSO and about a hundred personnel.[12][49] Iran then revised its previous statement, claiming it destroyed one aircraft.[50][7] According to a U.S. military official cited by The Daily Telegraph, the replacement aircraft were three Air Force Special Operations Command De Havilland Canada Dash 8,[49] though FlightGlobal believed Airbus C295Ws seen flying in the area likely undertook this mission;[51] this was corroborated by CBS.[2] Reuters reported that the about 100 special ‌operations forces at the forward operating base did not have an immediate extraction option for about two hours.[3]

During daylight while closing in on the WSO, U.S. commandos fired weapons to keep Iranian forces away from the rescue site, but did not engage in a firefight. U.S. attack aircraft also dropped bombs on approaching Iranian convoys to keep them away from the area,[12][50] and engaged in electronic jamming.[3] Iran reported shooting down a drone over Isfahan.[15][46]

On 5 April, the WSO was successfully rescued alive with minor injuries.[52][3] The U.S. and multiple reports stated that no American servicemen were killed during the operation.[53]

According to Israeli officials, Israeli intelligence and tactical support played a role in searching for the missing pilots, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted Iranian assets to sabotage and disrupt Iranian attempts to find the WSO.[54]

US President Donald Trump later stated that the rescue mission had involved 155 US aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft along with other aircraft.[15][51]

Iranian reports on the operation

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The Dena range of mountains, a sub-range of the Zagros Mountains, separating Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province from Isfahan province, forming part of the search area

In the evening of 3 April, an IRGC linked social media account posted a photo of an ejector seat in desert landscape which was asserted to be from the F-15E,[55] and later photos of parts of an F-15E were posted identifying it as from 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.[56] An Iranian news agency reported that at about 2 am local time on 5 April, drones and helicopters were heard in parts of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, presumed to be a U.S. search operation, and at about 5 am multiple explosions were heard. Iranian military subsequently claimed two drones had been shot down, a MQ-9 Reaper and a Hermes 900.[57]

A France 24 correspondent in Iran reported that about an hour before President Trump announced that the second airman had been recovered, Iranian social media posts reported that explosions and aircraft were heard near the city of Yasuj at 3 am local time, 5 April, near where the F-15 had come down.[58]

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, former chairman of the Iranian National Security Commission, said the U.S. forward operating base was at an abandoned airfield near Mahyar, Isfahan, (32°13′17″N 51°54′05″E / 32.2213°N 51.9014°E / 32.2213; 51.9014) about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Shahreza and about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Isfahan, with air cover provided by F-15, F-16, and F-35 aircraft and about 20 drones. He said the U.S. forces evacuated after coming under fire, and two of their C-130 aircraft were disabled. Boroujerdi said the scale of the deployment suggested their main objective was to locate and take enriched uranium out of Iran, rather than a limited rescue mission.[59][60]

Reactions

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Iran

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Iranian officials celebrated the shooting down of the F-15E and later the A-10 during the rescue mission, claiming it as a success.[61][62] Khatam al-Anbiya spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated that "the so-called US military rescue operation, planned as a deception and escape mission at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft, was completely foiled." The Iranian military compared the rescue operation to Operation Eagle Claw—a rescue operation in 1980 in Iran that resulted in the destruction of US aircraft.[18]

On 6 April, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated "The possibility that this was a deception operation to steal enriched uranium should not be ignored at all", referring to the nuclear program of Iran, and arguing the claimed location of the pilot in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad was "a long way" from the locations of attempted US landings.[16][17]

Israel

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the rescue of the missing U.S. airmen, stating that "This rescue operation reinforces the sacred principle: no one is left behind." He further noted that "This is a shared value demonstrated time and time again in the history of both our countries [...] As a nation that repeatedly carried out daring rescue operations, and as someone who was wounded in such a mission and lost a brother in the Entebbe rescue, Israelis and I, we know what a bold decision you took."[63]

United States

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President Donald Trump praised the successful rescue operation, posting "WE GOT HIM!" on Truth Social after the second crew member was rescued and describing it as the "most daring operation in US history".[64][65] The White House and Pentagon both praised the bravery and skills of all military personnel involved in the operation.[66] The BBC noted that the success of the rescue turned a "potential propaganda problem" into a "cause for celebration" for the Trump administration.[67]

Casualties and losses

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Iran

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According to Iranian sources, three members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards were killed.[5] The Iranian Army announced that four of its officers, including Brigadier General Masoud Zare, were killed by a U.S. airstrike in Mahyar, Isfahan, after hitting an aircraft with a shoulder-fired missile during the rescue operation.[6] Zare was the commander of the Iranian Army Air Defense College.[68]

United States

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The loss of a two-seat United States F-15E jet was what triggered the incident. Both crew sustained injuries but were rescued alive.

Additionally during the search and rescue efforts:

The U.S. reported that no service members were killed during the operation.[9]

The Iranian military and Revolutionary Guard declared in distinct statements that an Israeli Hermes-900 drone and an American MQ-9 drone were downed in Isfahan province as part of this operation.[10]

Analysis

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Some U.S. analysts considered the downing of the F-15E in Iran, followed by the destruction of several rescue aircraft, as revealing the limitations of U.S. air superiority. Former CENTCOM commander Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. considered the destroyed aircraft as acceptable losses in order to accomplish the mission.[15]

An NBC News article commented on the use of a MANPADS (shoulder-fired missile), stating that despite the U.S. effort to neutralize the conventional military capabilities of Iran, the threat of asymmetric warfare endured.[71]

A military analyst argued that the rescue operation highlighted the escalating strategic and political costs of combat search and rescue in contested airspace, noting that the commitment of 155 aircraft and the loss of multiple platforms demonstrated that personnel recovery had shifted from a tactical obligation to a strategic imperative directly tied to national reputation and domestic political pressure.[72]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ The pilot was reported to be seriously injured[2] while the WSO suffered minor injuries.[3]
  2. 1 2 The helicopters may have been HH-60 Pave Hawk variants[11]
  3. ↑ According to the New York Post, the technology was called "Ghost Murmur," which is described as an experimental system designed to detect the extremely faint electromagnetic signals produced by a human heartbeat.[36] It combines highly sensitive quantum sensors with AI-based filtering to separate a person's biological signal from environmental noise and use it to help estimate their location.[37] However, this description was widely viewed with skepticism at the time of reporting, as no publicly verified evidence exists for long-range detection of human heartbeat signals, and scientists argue such capabilities would exceed known physical and technological limits.[38]

References

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  1. ↑ Finnerty, Ryan (6 April 2026). "Rare sighting of US Air Force C295W during pilot rescue inside Iran". Flight Global.
  2. 1 2 3 LaPorta, James; Jacobs, Jennifer (7 April 2026). "Inside the daring mission to rescue a U.S. airman downed in Iran". CBS News. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Stewart, Phil; Ali, Idrees; Pamuk, Humeyra (6 April 2026). "How a perilous US rescue mission in Iran nearly went off course". Reuters. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  4. 1 2 Copp, Tara (3 April 2026). "Two U.S. warplanes shot down; search ongoing in Iran for 1 missing crew member". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Sabbagh, Dan (5 April 2026). "US rescues second crew member of downed F-15E fighter jet from Iran". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Iran says four officers killed by US aircraft during aviator rescue mission". Iran International. 6 April 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "Wreckage of US C-130s, MH-6 helicopter shown in Iranian footage". Türkiye Today. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 "How the rescue of the 2nd F-15E airman in Iran unfolded". ABC News. 5 April 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Stewart, Phil; Ali, Idrees. "US fighter jet shot down over Iran, search underway for crew member, US officials say". Reuters. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Iran says several 'enemy aircraft' destroyed during US pilot rescue mission". Reuters. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  11. ↑ D'Urso, Stefano; Cenciotti, David (4 April 2026). "Mission to Recover Downed F-15E Aircrew Puts Combat Search And Rescue in the Spotlight". The Aviationist.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Schmitt, Eric; Cooper, Helene; Jaffe, Greg (5 April 2026). "U.S. Rescues Downed Air Force Officer Deep Inside Iran, Trump Says". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  13. ↑ Helmore, Edward (5 April 2026). "A timeline of the two US military jets shot down by Iran forces". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "Trump issues expletive-laden threat to Iranian infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz not opened - live updates". BBC News. 5 April 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pomeroy, Gabriela (5 April 2026). "How rescue of US airman in remote part of Iran unfolded". BBC News. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Iran says US airman rescue may have been cover to 'steal enriched uranium'". Al Arabiya English. 4 June 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  17. 1 2 Demir, Sahin (6 April 2026). "Iran raises suspicion of 'uranium theft' plot after clashes with US forces". Anadolu. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  18. 1 2 "Iran likens US pilot rescue operation to 1980 failed American mission – What happened in Operation Eagle Claw?". Wion. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  19. ↑ Burke, Jason; Graham-Harrison, Emma; Wintour, Patrick; Roth, Andrew (28 February 2026). "US and Israel strike Iran as Netanyahu says 'many signs' Khamenei 'no longer alive'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  20. ↑ "World reacts to U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran with concerns, condemnations, calls for dialogue". english.news.cn. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 "Search for missing airman presents serious test for US". www.bbc.com. 4 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "Downed jets puncture Trump's and Hegseth's claims of air invulnerability". CNN. 4 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "Trump Holds News Conference on Iran War; Trump Comments on Rescue of U.S. Airman From Iran; Trump Says Airman's Rescue Resulted in No U.S. Casualties. Aired 1:30-2p ET". transcripts.cnn.com. 6 April 2026. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  24. ↑ "'They got lucky': Trump says Iran shot down the F-15 with a shoulder-fired missile". The Times of Israel. 5 April 2026. Archived from the original on 6 April 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  25. ↑ Korte, Lara (6 April 2026). "F-15 shootdown draws attention to Iran's air defenses as Trump signals plans to escalate war". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 6 April 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  26. 1 2 "US fighter jet shot down over Iran, search underway for crew member, US officials say". 2026.
  27. ↑ "Second airman rescued in Iran, Trump says". Stars and Stripes. 2026. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  28. ↑ "High-stakes US special forces mission rescues airman from Iran after F-15 crash". 2026.
  29. ↑ "US fighter jet shot down over Iran, 1 of 2 crew men rescued, US sources say". CNN. 3 April 2026. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  30. ↑ "American fighter jet shot down over Iran, 1 crew member rescued, U.S. officials say". CBS News. 3 April 2026. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  31. ↑ Banerjee, Shamik, 'Embarrassing' reason why Trump was kept out of situation room during F-15 airmen rescue in Iran, Hindustan Times, April 20, 2026
  32. ↑ "The Latest: US and Iran race to find missing crew member from downed military plane". The Washington Post. 4 April 2026. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  33. 1 2 Jaffe, Greg; Cooper, Helene; Schmitt, Eric; Barnes, Julian E. (5 April 2026). "A Harrowing Race Against Time to Find a Downed U.S. Airman in Iran". The New York Times.
  34. 1 2 3 "Iran war: US says missing crew member from downed jet found". Deutsche Welle.
  35. 1 2 3 Hall, Richard (6 April 2026). "How a U.S. Airman Shot Down in Iran Was Rescued From a Mountain Crevice". Time.
  36. ↑ Sommerlad, Joe (8 April 2026). "The top secret CIA tool 'Ghost Murmur' used to save US airman downed in Iran by detecting his heartbeat". The independent.
  37. ↑ Urbancik, Johanna (8 April 2026). "Rescued US airman treated in Germany after CIA located him in Iran by heartbeat". Euronews.
  38. ↑ Béchard, Deni Ellis (8 April 2026). "Is the 'Ghost Murmur' quantum device possible? Scientists are skeptical". Scientific American.
  39. ↑ Jonko, Anushree (3 April 2026). "'Capture Enemy Pilots Alive': Iran Channel Offers Reward After US Jet Downed". NDTV. Archived from the original on 3 April 2026. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
  40. ↑ "EE.UU. busca a piloto derribado en Irán mientras Teherán ofrece recompensa por su captura" [U.S. Searches for Pilot Shot Down in Iran While Tehran Offers Reward for His Capture]. El Diario (in Spanish). NY. 5 April 2026. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  41. ↑ Walia, Gandharv (4 April 2026). "Iran offers $60,000 bounty for capturing US pilots?". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  42. ↑ Chul-min, Lee (7 April 2026). "U.S. Rescues Officer Using Seven-Location Deception in Iran". The Chosun Daily. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  43. ↑ McCardle, Guy D. (5 April 2026). "Inside the U.S. Special Operations Mission to Rescue a Downed F-15E Officer in Iran". SOFREP. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  44. ↑ "Elite US military rescue units race Iran's armed nomads to find airman". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  45. ↑ Ravid, Barak (5 April 2026). "Second crew member from F-15 downed in Iran rescued by U.S. forces". Axios. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  46. 1 2 Pomeroy, Gabriela; Goodwin, Grace Eliza; Habibiazad, Ghoncheh; Partridge, Chris (5 April 2026). "What we know so far about rescue of US air force officer in Iran". BBC.
  47. ↑ "One crew member from US fighter jet downed in Iran has been rescued, US media report". BBC News.
  48. ↑ "2 US helicopters hit in search and rescue efforts in Iran: report". New York Post. 3 April 2026. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  49. 1 2 Nuki, Paul (5 April 2026). "As enemies closed in, US airman only broke cover at the final moment". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  50. 1 2 "'Miraculous': US rescues second pilot downed in Iran, Trump confirms". Al Jazeera.
  51. 1 2 Finnerty, Ryan (7 April 2026). "Iran rescue mission featured 155 aircraft, refuelling over enemy territory and one lost A-10". FlightGlobal. DVV Media International. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  52. ↑ Regencia, Ted (5 April 2026). "Al Jazeera Live Blog". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  53. ↑ "Trump says missing US crew member from downed jet rescued in 'daring' operation in Iran". BBC. 2026.
  54. ↑ "IDF intelligence, targeted strikes helped US mission to rescue downed airman". The Jerusalem Post. 5 April 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  55. ↑ Sabbagh, Dan; Lowel, Hugo; Gambino, Lauren (3 April 2026). "One of two US crew members rescued after F-15E jet shot down over Iran". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  56. ↑ Zaken, Nir Ben (4 April 2026). "The US F-15E was the aircraft downed over Iran; pilot rescued after hours, navigator still missing". Ynetnews. Israel. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  57. ↑ "Rescue Operation of an American Pilot in Iran; What Do Tehran and Washington Say?". West Asia News Agency. Tehran. 5 April 2026. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  58. ↑ Sayah, Reza (5 April 2026). "In Iran, social media posts noted explosions, aircraft in area US jet was downed". France 24. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  59. ↑ Mammadzada, Aysel (8 April 2026). "Former Iranian security official details failed US operation in Isfahan". News.az. Baku. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  60. ↑ "Sat Images Reveal 'Chaos' During US Rescue Mission In Iran; Troops Landed Close To Nuke Site". OdishaBytes. Odisha, India. 15 April 2026. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  61. ↑ Jackson, Tony (4 April 2026). "(VIDEO) Iran Claims US F-15E Strike Eagle Shot Down Over Iran With Wreckage Images Released". International Business Times. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  62. ↑ "'Your sons more in danger with Trump': Iran tells US pilot's mother it doesn't treat POWs 'like your savage allies'". The Times of India. 5 April 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  63. ↑ Shalev, Tal; Ronald, Issy (5 April 2026). "Netanyahu hails rescue of missing US airman". CNN. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  64. ↑ Tyagi, Vanshika. "US President Donald Trump's first reaction to rescue of missing pilot of US F-15E shot down by Iran: 'WE GOT HIM!'". DNA India. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  65. ↑ "'Most daring operation in US history': Trump announces rescue of US pilot missing in Iran". The Tribune. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  66. ↑ "US rescues airman whose F-15 was downed in Iran, US officials say - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent since 2012". al-monitor.com. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  67. ↑ "American airman rescued from Iran as Trump says operation involved dozens of warplanes". BBC News. 5 April 2026.
  68. ↑ "Iran's air defense academy commander killed in US-Israeli strikes". Shafaq News. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  69. ↑ "Trump, Israel pressure Iran ahead of deadline as hunt goes on for missing US crew member". Reuters. 5 April 2026. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  70. ↑ Rogoway, Tyler (5 April 2026). "Night Stalker AH-6 Little Bird Helicopters Destroyed At Forward Landing Site In Iran". The War Zone. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
  71. ↑ Lubold, Gordon; De Luce, Dan; Kube, Courtney; Arkin, Daniel; Gains, Mosheh (7 April 2026). "The U.S. fighter jet was downed in Iran by a shoulder-fired missile". NBC News. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  72. ↑ Matisek, Jahara (April 2026). "The Escalating Cost of Combat Rescue". Eagle Intelligence Reports. Eagle Intel S.R.L. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
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