US Airman Rescued In Iran In ‘Miraculous’ Operation – Trump
President Donald Trump said Sunday that US forces had safely recovered a second airman downed in Iran, calling it “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History”.
The announcement came as Iran launched missiles and drones at Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi on Sunday, and a day after Trump said the Islamic republic had 48 hours to cut a deal or face “all Hell”.
“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“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.”
Iranian media reported five people were killed in strikes during the US rescue operation.
Iran said its forces had downed the plane, while US media reported that the plane had been shot down.
The US administration has not said publicly if it was downed.
The war, which erupted on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has spread across the Middle East and convulsed the global economy.
Iran has virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, a vital conduit for oil and gas, and kept up a campaign of strikes on Israel and its Gulf neighbours.
US-Israeli attacks in Iran have also hit targets that are key to the Islamic republic’s economy, with a strike on a petrochemical hub in the southwest killing five people on Saturday, according to the deputy governor of Khuzestan province.
“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social, referring to an ultimatum issued on March 26.
“Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them.”
Iran’s central military command rejected the ultimatum, with General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi saying Trump’s threat was a “helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action”.
Echoing Trump’s language, he warned that “the gates of hell will open for you”.
Pakistan has offered to mediate efforts to end the war, and according to Iranian media Pakistan’s foreign minister and his Iranian counterpart spoke by phone on Saturday.
There was no sign, however, of a let up in the violence.
An Iranian drone sparked a fire in storage tank of Bahrain state energy firm Bapco Energies and a fire broke out at a petrochemical facility in Abu Dhabi because of falling debris.
