MIRACLE IN THE MOUNTAINS: How US special forces rescued 2 downed airmen and prevented a humiliating Iranian propaganda coup

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — This morning, 2.6 billion Christians around the world celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus.

This includes more than 200,000 Christians and Messianic Jews here in Israel.

At the same time, it’s been a dramatic day militarily and geopolitically.

Yes, American and Israeli forces continued pounding – indeed, obliterating – more and more of Iran’s offensive military capabilities. 

Yes, President Trump has not lost his nerve. He hasn’t cut a premature and dangerous deal with Tehran. He’s staying the course – so is Israel – and we remain headed for what I believe will be called, OPERATION EPIC VICTORY.

And yes, American forces just assassinated 50 more senior Iranian officials, some of the most wicked and bloodthirsty leaders in Tehran’s already-shattered and shell-shocked regime, in a precision airstrike in Tehran backed up by precise intelligence.

But the most dramatic development of the week occurred overnight: American special forces pulled off one of the most complicated and daring rescues in U.S. military history.

By God’s amazing grace, they rescued two downed American airmen.

They also prevented the Iranian regime from a massive and potentially humiliating propaganda coup that very well could have fundamentally changed the strategic nature of OPERATION EPIC FURY.

Let me walk you through this miracle in the mountains of Iran.

First, I predict that this thing is going to be the subject of one massive New York Times best-seller.

Second, I also predict this story is going to become one spectacularly exciting motion picture.

A quarter of a century ago, back in 2001, I remember Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman starred in BEHIND ENEMY LINES.

It was a riveting story – very similar to this – in which two American airmen are shot down (over Bosnia, as I recall) and have to use their wits to elude detection by a fast-moving and deadly enemy, make contact with U.S. forces, and stay alive in a race against time. 

Great thriller – but that was pure fiction.

This story is all too true.

FRIDAY – APRIL 3

An American F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet is bombing military targets over southwestern Iran.

Suddenly, alarms start sounding in the cockpit. 

Iranian surface-to-air missiles have been fired at them from an unknown location. 

The pilot and his Weapon Systems Officer – “Wizzo” – immediately take evasive action. 

But it’s too late. 

The missile clips their fighter.

With only moments to react before their jet crashes into the desert floor, they alert airborne control that they’re going down and both men eject.

It’s the first American fighter jet to be shot down by enemy fire in more than 20 years – and the first in Operation Epic Fury after more than 13,000 sorties to bomb Iranian nuclear, missile, and other military targets. 

And now a winner-take-all race against time begins.

Seeing the F-15 crash and explode – and seeing the massive plume of thick, black, acrid smoke pouring out of the wreckage – finding the crash site won’t be hard.

The Iranian personnel manning the anti-aircraft battery instantly radio to the closest Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps base. 

IRGC ground forces are alerted, mobilized, and immediately begin racing for the crash site.

What’s more, Iran’s state-controlled TV broadcast the government’s offer to pay a bounty of $60,000 to anyone who locates the downed “enemy pilots.”

A massive and frantic manhunt begins.

Simultaneously, U.S. commanders realize the magnitude of the situation. 

If they don’t move fast to successfully rescue these two American officers, the men will fall into the enemy’s hands. 

They’ll be captured, brutally tortured, and paraded in front of TV cameras for the world to see. 

What’s left of the shattered and shell-shocked Iranian regime will be handed a massive propaganda coup. 

They will be able to crow that Allah is on their side and declare that America – the “Great Satan” – is not only being defeated but humiliated. 

Then they will be able either to hold the two American hostages as a bargaining chip – or execute them on live worldwide television.

Very quickly, President Trump is briefed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

With stakes that could hardly be higher, Trump orders U.S. commanders to quickly mount what we now know was one of the most complex search-and-rescue operations in American military history.

They immediately dispatch Predator drones to get to the crash site quickly and provide real-time images of what’s happening there, try to locate the downed crew, and determine how close Iranian ground forces are and how quickly they will get to the site.

At the same time, they scramble A-10 Thunderbolts – a.k.a. “Warthogs” – and Apache helicopters to attack any and all approaching IRGC forces, and fighter jets to provide essential air cover.

They also order refueling tankers and various helicopter units into the air to assist.

The Americans start jamming all Iranian communications and radar stations in that sector.

They’re hoping and praying all this will buy enough time for U.S. combat search and rescue forces to locate the two Americans and exfiltrate them in time.

Fairly quickly, the F-15 pilot makes radio contact. 

He’s alive, healthy, and – for the moment, at least – safe. 

Using encrypted communications, he sends his location. 

And, by God’s amazing grace, he is quickly rescued by U.S. special forces.

But there’s a problem.

American commanders haven’t heard from the Weapon System Officer – the “Wizzo.”

Is he alive or dead? 

Healthy or wounded? 

Safe or captured?

One thing’s clear: even if the Wizzo has successfully ejected from the F-15 – and even if his parachute has worked – he has not landed anywhere near his pilot. 

The two men have not landed together. 

And there is no sign of him anywhere.

Immediately, Israel offers to help. 

Israeli intelligence works closely with the Americans to help locate the downed airmen. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF chief of staff also immediately suspend all Israeli bombing in that sector of Iran so as not to complicate the American rescue efforts.

The good news: unbeknownst to U.S. commanders, the Wizzo is alive – but he’s wounded with a broken ankle. 

The challenge: he’s armed only with a 9-millimeter sidearm, he has a very limited supply of food and water, and he’s deep inside enemy territory. 

What’s more, he knows full well that he’s a hunted man and that time is not on his side.

Immediately, his SERE training – SURVIVAL, EVASION, RESISTANCE, ESCAPE training – kicks in. 

That’s why he doesn’t immediately activate his location beacon. 

Yes, that would have told American forces exactly where he is. 

But its signal could also be intercepted by Iranian forces and guide them right to him.

Instead, he quickly wraps up and hides his parachute, sheds and hides his flight gear, and starts heading for a mountain range nearby.

He’s determined to get as far away from where he’s landed as humanly possible, gain as much altitude as he can, find cover, and then activate the beacon – and get the good guys there as fast as possible.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4

President Trump and his senior team are worried. 

They understand all too well how disastrous it will be if the Iranians capture, torture, and kill their man.

Trump is closely monitoring the unfolding events – but he maintains radio silence – not speaking publicly about the situation or even confirming on his Truth Social account the successful rescue of the F-15 pilot.

Back in Iran, the Weapon Systems Officer is operating in the dead of night, and in rugged terrain. 

He finally makes it to the base of the mountain range and begins climbing – wounded and exhausted. 

Over the coming hours, dark and cold, he manages to climb to the top of a 7,000-foot peak.

Sources indicate that he was briefly taken in by friendly locals who sheltered and fed him. 

Only then – only when he feels he’s safe enough – does he turn on his locator beacon and send his commanders the briefest of messages: he’s alive.

Electrified by confirmation that their man is still alive, U.S. commanders also realize how close IRGC forces are to him. 

They immediately order American military aircraft to start bombing all roads to the Wizzo’s location to make it difficult, if not impossible, for vehicles to get there. 

They also order U.S. fighter pilots to open fire on IRGC forces that are nearby. 

Iranian forces return fire, feverishly trying to bring down more American planes, helicopters, and drones. 

And they score.

An American A-10 is hit and badly disabled. 

By God’s grace, it’s able to turn around, get out of Iranian airspace, and cross the Gulf. 

But before it can land safely, it crashes in Kuwaiti territory, just after its pilot successfully ejects.

Now two American jets have been shot down. 

If the Iranians also captured the Weapon Systems Officer, they’ll achieve a propaganda coup of enormous and devastating proportions.

So, U.S. special forces press forward, determined to reach their man first.

At this point, according to a senior U.S. official who spoke to Fox News, “the CIA first launched a deception campaign spreading word inside Iran that U.S. forces had already found him and were moving him on the ground for exfiltration out of the country.”

“While the Iranians were confused and uncertain of what was happening, the Agency used its unique, exquisite capabilities to search for – and find – the American airman. This was the ultimate ‘needle in a haystack,’ but in this case it was a brave American soul inside a mountain crevice, invisible but for the CIA's capabilities.”

“The CIA immediately shared the WSO’s exact location with the Pentagon and the White House,” the official explained. 

“The President ordered an immediate rescue mission, which CENTCOM executed with boldness and precision, with CIA continuing to provide real-time information.”

But challenges continue to mount.

Two U.S. rescue helicopters are hit by ground fire. 

Their crews are wounded but – again, by God’s amazing grace – they’re able to safely get out of Iranian airspace and return to their base without crashing.

By this point, almost 30 hours have elapsed since the F-15 was first shot down. 

The firefights have been intense – and American forces still have not reached or recovered their man.

IRGC fire – combined with Iranian drone strikes – has severely complicated the American rescue mission. 

And come close, without realizing it, to killing the American crew member.

But he’s still alive. 

Wounded and even more exhausted. 

But he’s fighting for his life and he knows help is on the way.

Location of U.S. forward base used in the Iran F‑15 rescue mission was near Isfahan, deep inside Iranian territory, close to key military, missile and nuclear infrastructure.@Osinttechnical pic.twitter.com/icOc0hgqTK

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) April 5, 2026

SUNDAY, APRIL 5

In the dark of night, in the wee hours of Easter Sunday morning – in the rugged, barren, and unforgiving southwestern regions of Iran – two U.S. Air Force jet planes, each carrying rescue operators known as Para-Jumpers (PJ’s), find a spot to land.

The challenge: it’s not a location close to the Wizzo’s location.

The PJ’s set up a secure perimeter – but the Wizzo has to make an incredibly risky trek to get to them.

Exhausted after almost 36 hours on the run, the Weapon Systems Officer finally reaches his rescuers.

He’s in need of immediate medical attention. 

But now there’s a new problem. 

Somehow, the two special forces planes get stuck on the makeshift runway. 

How? 

That’s still not clear. 

The only thing that is clear: neither plane can take off.

Now, other American military assets have to be sent to extract the crew member and his rescuers.

And the two specialized planes – MC-130J’s, each costing an estimated $100 million – have to be blown up so that neither they nor their highly-classified gear will fall into enemy hands.

Back in Washington, President Trump and his most trusted advisors are in the Situation Room on pins and needles, praying for success and trying to imagine the disaster to the American war effort if the Iranians prove successful.

At the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs are managing the crisis, knowing this thing could go either way. 

As the clock ticks by, Trump and his team are waiting for updates.

And rumors are starting to leak, particularly on social media, that a highly-complicated and highly-risky rescue operation is underway.

That’s a problem.

Irresponsible journalists, analysts, and commentators are saying more than they should.

But there’s nothing the Commander-in-Chief and his team at the White House can do but pray – and wait.

Finally, at 12:09 a.m. Easter Sunday morning in Washington – well after 9 a.m. in Iran – President Trump posts these wonderful words on his Truth Social account: “WE GOT HIM!”

The relief is palpable in his words. 

So is his immense admiration for the Wizzo and for all U.S. forces involved in this incredibly – miraculously – successful operation.

“My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND! This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow War Fighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue. At my direction, the U.S. Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine. This miraculous Search and Rescue Operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave Pilot, yesterday, which we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation. This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory. WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND! 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. This is a moment that ALL Americans, Republican, Democrat, and everyone else, should be proud of and united around. We truly have the best, most professional, and lethal Military in the History of the World. GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS, AND HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!”