By That PAO Guy

President Trump announced via Twitter and Truth Social at 12:15 a.m. April 5, 2026, that the second service member, who was missing in Iran after their F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down, has been safely recovered.

The weapons systems officer, whom the president identified as a colonel, was rescued by special operations service members, according to U.S. officials.

“Over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History,” Trump said in a statement, adding ​that the airman was injured but “he will be just fine.”

According to Reuters, U.S. officials said the service member was recovered near a mountain in Iran in one of the most intense rescue operations in recent years. Over the past couple of days, dozens of U.S. aircraft were involved in the search and came under vicious resistance from Iran.

On Friday, it was reported that two Blackhawk helicopters were struck by enemy fire while conducting search and rescue operations but were able to fly back to safety. The Iranian government has claimed that multiple more U.S. aircraft have been destroyed by its defenses, but those claims have not been able to be independently verified. The United States has denied the claims.

The downing of this aircraft marks the first time a U.S. aircraft has been shot down by enemy forces in more than 20 years, since the beginning of the Iraq campaign in 2003.

One of the reasons this story ends on a positive note is the fact United States pilots are required to go through Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training to learn how to survive behind enemy lines in the event they find themselves in this very situation.

The safe recovery of this service member is a huge win for the administration. Should the officer have been captured by the Iranian government, which had put out a bounty to all Iranians for his capture, it would’ve been a detrimental blow to the already dismal approval ratings for the conflict, in which more than half the country disapproves of the country’s involvement in Iran.

Over the past few days, the Iranian military has provided fierce resistance to the United States, indicating its air defense capabilities may be more intact than U.S. officials have claimed.

President Trump has threatened to escalate the war if Iran doesn’t agree to a ceasefire deal, but Iran has also denied any conversations are taking place between the two countries, leading to more questions about what the end state of this conflict looks like.

To date, the war with Iran—now in its sixth week—has claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members and wounded at least 300 more. Activist groups estimate nearly 3,500 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict began on Feb. 28, 2026; 1,574 of those people were civilians, including 236 children.

Second U.S. Air Force Plane crashes in Middle East

Update

According to Stars and Stripes, a second Air Force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region, near the Strait of Hormuz.

An A-10 Thunderbolt II has reportedly crashed about the same time as the F-15E Strike Eagle that was shot down over Iran.

The lone pilot was safely rescued.

One pilot rescued from F-15E shot down over Iran, sources say

Update

One crew member from an F-15E Strike Eagle that was shot down by enemy fire in Iran this morning has been recovered alive.

A search is currently underway for the second crew member.

News of the pilot’s recovery was first reported by Israel’s N12 News network. The Defense Department has since confirmed the recovery to CBS News, Axios, and Reuters.

This shoot-down marks the first-time a U.S. aircraft has been shot down by enemy forces during Operation Epic Fury. Three other F-15’s were shot down in Kuwait by friendly fire on March 1st.

The situation remains under investigation.

U.S. Fighter Plane Shot Down in Iran

Original Article

A United States F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet has been shot down by enemy forces in Iran, official sources have told Reuters.

The official, who spoke to the news agency on the condition of anonymity, did not provide additional details about the situation.

The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment.