The United States rescued an airman caught behind lines after Iran shot down his F-15 fighter jet, the U.S. government said early on Sunday (5 April), resolving a major crisis for President Donald Trump with the war on Iran in its sixth week.
The airman, who Trump said held the rank of colonel, was the second member of a two-person crew of an F-15 that Iran said on Friday had been brought down by its air defences.
Trump said the crew member was injured but "he will be just fine."
Reuters reported on Friday (3 April) that the first member of the crew had been recovered, triggering a high-profile search for the remaining airman by both Iran and the United States.
"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 emphasised that it was the first time in memory that two U.S. pilots had been rescued separately, deep in enemy territory. The operation involved dozens of military aircraft and faced fierce resistance from Iranian forces.
Reuters reported on Friday that two Black Hawk helicopters involved in the search effort were hit by Iranian fire but made it out of Iranian airspace.
In a separate incident, an A-10 Warthog fighter aircraft was hit and crashed over Kuwait, with the pilot ejecting, the officials said. The degree of any injuries among the crew of the aircraft remained unclear.
Still, Trump was triumphant.
"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," he said in his statement.
Iranian officials had called on citizens to help locate the remaining American, hoping to gain leverage against Washington in the war Trump and Israel launched on 28 February.
He has threatened to escalate the conflict in the coming days with attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure.
A hostage crisis could have shifted American public perception of a conflict that, according to opinion polls, has already struggled to win popular support.
Tajikistan tripled fuel imports from neighbouring Central Asian countries in July after deliveries from Russia declined sharply, underscoring how disr...
Morocco has expressed its readiness to work with Spain and other European partners to identify and return unaccompanied minors following the mass arri...
U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are progressing and suggested an agreement with Iran could be reached “...
U.S. President Donald Trump said there was an "all-day negotiation" on Tuesday with Iran, characterising the talks positively while also threatening to hit Iran "really hard" if a deal was not reached.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, two key maritime chokepoints in the region, decreased significantly from the previous day, according to shipping data.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 6th of August, covering the latest developments.
U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are progressing and suggested an agreement with Iran could be reached “soon”.
Kazakhstan’s main oil export corridor was disrupted by drone strikes near Russia’s Black Sea coast in July, forcing a temporary suspension of crude loadings and raising fresh concerns over the vulnerability of regional energy infrastructure to the war in Ukraine.
Azerbaijan’s State Oil Fund (SOFAZ) has made its first investment in Latin America, acquiring an indirect stake in Peru’s largest independent electricity producer, Inkia Energy, as part of its strategy to diversify its global investment portfolio.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan will remove tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting around 20 product categories from 10 August, in a move designed to facilitate cross-border trade and support businesses in both countries.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has defended his administration's economic performance under longstanding Western sanctions and severe wartime conditions, saying barter trade with neighbouring countries has expanded to help Iran cope with financial restrictions, according to his office.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia currently has no option to join the European Union as an alternative to its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Tajikistan tripled fuel imports from neighbouring Central Asian countries in July after deliveries from Russia declined sharply, underscoring how disruptions to Russian exports are prompting governments across the region to seek alternative suppliers.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment