WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has claimed that a US military operation successfully rescued American pilots from Iranian territory, describing it as one of the most dangerous missions ever conducted by US forces.
According to statements attributed to Trump, the operation followed what sources described as a quiet understanding with Iran to avoid targeting key sites inside the country in exchange for the pilot’s safety. The details of any such arrangement remain unconfirmed, and no mediator has been publicly identified.
Russian media, including the state agency TASS, reported that Iran had previously rejected a proposed 48-hour ceasefire that Washington sought to facilitate the rescue mission.
US outlet Axios reported that Iranian authorities had prior knowledge of the pilot’s location. Meanwhile, Fox News stated that the rescue operation exceeded expectations in both scale and complexity.
According to Fox News, a US military aircraft — identified as a Lockheed C-130 Hercules — was destroyed on-site after it was unable to depart the operational area, in order to prevent it from falling into Iranian hands. The aircraft is estimated to be worth around $80 million.
The same report indicated that infrastructure, including several roads, was damaged during the operation, as US forces encountered Iranian troops near the location where the pilot had reportedly been hiding. The rescued pilot was said to be injured and was evacuated from Iranian territory.
After three days of silence, Trump publicly praised the mission, calling it a “historic event” and emphasizing US air superiority. He claimed that two pilots had been rescued in separate operations involving dozens of aircraft equipped with advanced weaponry.
Iran has not issued any official response to the reports, and independent verification of the claims remains limited.
