US Special Forces Conduct High-Risk Rescue Operation in Iran After F-15 Downing

US special forces carried out a high-stakes operation inside Iranian territory late Saturday night to locate and rescue crew members of a downed F-15 fighter jet. The mission involved helicopters and low-altitude refueling aircraft operating deep inside hostile territory, with reports indicating they came under light fire from the ground.

Two helicopters were reportedly damaged during the operation, with one trailing smoke on its return to Iraq, but both landed safely. One crew member has been rescued, while the fate of the second remains unknown amid a reported search by local Iranian forces, who have even offered a cash reward for information leading to his capture.

Simultaneous Incident Near Strait of Hormuz

The dramatic rescue coincided with another US fighter jet being shot down near the Strait of Hormuz. Its sole pilot was rescued safely. This follows last month’s incident in which a US F-35 was hit in combat and made an emergency landing in a neighboring country, with the pilot surviving.

White House Confirms President Briefed

White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt confirmed that President Trump has been briefed on the F-15 incident and is conducting ongoing assessments. In a later interview with NBC, Trump said the downing would not affect negotiations with Iran and expressed frustration with media coverage of the sensitive military operation.

Iran Offers Reward for Information

Iranian state television has announced a “highly valuable reward” for anyone providing information on the location of the US pilots. The Revolutionary Guards and local forces are reportedly hunting for the missing crew member, creating an urgent race against time for US forces.

 Iran showed US Black Hawk helicopters refueling from Hercules aircraft during repeated search operations. The mission aims to locate and extract both the pilot and the systems operator before Iranian forces can reach them. Iranian media have claimed that one crew member has been captured, though earlier reports regarding a stealth fighter downing were later contradicted.