Iran claims destruction of US aircraft following reported recovery of second F-15 airman

The US and Iran have made conflicting claims surrounding the destruction of military aircraft involved in the rescue operation

News Desk

APR 5, 2026

https://thecradle.co/articles/iran-claims-destruction-of-us-aircraft-following-recovery-of-second-f-15-airman

Iran announced on 5 April the destruction of multiple US aircraft, including two military helicopters and two C-130 transport planes carrying US special forces seeking to rescue a downed US fighter pilot.

The alleged rescue operation "ended in complete failure with the timely presence of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran," a statement issued by the spokesman for the Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said.

The statement said that US President Donald Trump was in a "state of panic" and trying to hide the operation's failure, "through lies and psychological warfare."

It also added that the helicopters and transport planes were shot down in a joint operation involving the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), Army, Basij paramilitary forces, and police commandos.

Iran released images and video Sunday showing the charred wreckage of US military aircraft destroyed at an abandoned airport south of Isfahan. US forces had apparently used the airport as a makeshift base to launch the operation to rescue a US pilot whose F-15 warplane was shot down on Friday.

Footage showed the destruction of at least two C-130 transport planes and one MH-6 Little Bird special operations helicopter. The C-130 is a specially equipped plane used to carry out covert infiltrations and extract troops from behind enemy lines. The MH-6 is a lightweight helicopter used by elite commando units.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted an image from the wreckage site on X with a pointed message: "If the United States gets three more victories like this, it will be utterly ruined."

Saturday's special forces operation was launched after Iranian forces shot down an F-15E warplane on Friday. It was the first US fighter jet lost to enemy fire in over 20 years.

US officials claimed both F-15 crew members were successfully rescued in an operation behind enemy lines and that all US personnel had successfully exited Iran.

The first was rescued shortly after the crash, US officials claimed, while the second was allegedly rescued after hiding in the mountains for two days from Iranian forces searching for him.

Trump claimed that the second service member, a colonel, "sustained injuries," but will be "just fine."

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not issued a statement regarding the pilot's fate.

CNN's national security analyst Alex Plitsas said that had the second crew member been captured, he would have become a "strategic bargaining chip" for Tehran.

US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal and other US outlets also claimed that two transport planes got “stuck” at the remote base during the rescue operation. After they were deliberately destroyed, three additional US aircraft were dispatched to extract all personnel involved in the rescue operation.

According to Fox News, at least one aircraft, possibly a C-130 Hercules, had become "stuck in the mud."

The IRGC's public affairs office issued a statement accusing Trump of fabricating a successful rescue to conceal "a heavy defeat."

"Trump the gambler, the God of the sands of Tabas is still here," the statement said.

"Tabas" is a reference to the failed US operation ordered by US President Jimmy Carter to rescue US embassy employees taken captive in Tehran shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the Shah.

In that operation, eight US special forces were killed when two of their helicopters collided in the air over the Iranian desert. The operation was an embarrassment for Carter, contributing to his defeat by Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election.

The Reagan White House went on to broker the sale of Israeli weapons to Iran for use in the war against Iraq. The US also sold weapons to Iraq in a bid to prolong the war and weaken both countries. According to some estimates, over a million Iraqis and Iranians were killed in the eight-year war.

This incident of the destroyed aircraft comes as Trump's deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz approaches.

The US president claimed that "hell" will be unleashed if Iran does not open the strategic waterway by Monday.

"Open the F***in' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH!" wrote the president, adding: “Praise be to Allah.”

US and Israeli warplanes have been bombing Iran since 28 February. According to the Pentagon, the US and Israel have struck over 12,300 targets. Iran has retaliated with multiple waves of drone and ballistic missile strikes against Israel, as well as US bases and assets in the Persian Gulf.