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Last Updated:April 06, 2026, 23:19 IST
Trump said 21 aircraft were used to recover the pilot in the first mission, while the second rescue operation to retrieve the weapons systems officer involved 155 aircraft.
News18
US President Donald Trump on Monday revealed the scale of the rescue operation for the crew of an F-15E fighter jet downed over Iran, saying more than 170 military aircraft were involved.
Speaking at a White House briefing, Trump said 21 aircraft were used to recover the pilot in the first mission, adding that the pilot was located and extracted by an HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter.
Meanwhile, for the second rescue mission to recover the weapons systems officer, Trump said around 155 aircraft were involved, including four bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 refuelling tankers, and 13 specialised rescue aircraft.
NOW – Trump gives a run down of the search and rescue mission which involved “155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft, and more," to save the 2nd crew member. pic.twitter.com/smxqOFLmqr— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) April 6, 2026
“The second rescue mission involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refuelling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft, and more. We were bringing them all over, and a lot of it was subterfuge," Trump said.
Location :
United States of America (USA)
First Published:
April 06, 2026, 23:18 IST
News world Inside US Airmen Rescue Op In Iran: Over 170 Aircraft, Including Bombers, And CIA Deception Plan
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