F-15E Weapons Officer Rescued in Dramatic Operation in Iran

Navy SEALs recover second crewman who aided airstrikes while hiding at 7,000 feet.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, April 06, 2026 at 12:57 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A F-15E Strike Eagle [Credit: U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew]

Key Takeaways:

An F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over southwestern Iran, leading to two U.S. airmen ejecting, with the pilot rescued on the same day.
The second airman, a weapons officer, evaded capture for a day by hiding in a mountain crevice, intermittently using a beacon, and communicating enemy positions to U.S. forces.
U.S. Navy SEALs successfully rescued the airman, who was seriously wounded but expected to recover, amid a complex operation that involved tactical deception and the destruction of two C-130 transport aircraft.

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A second U.S. airman has been rescued after ejecting from an F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft that came under enemy fire Friday over southwestern Iran. The two American Air Force personnel, a pilot and a weapons officer, became separated in the rugged and sparsely populated area after the shootdown, according to reports from the BBC and the Associated Press.

The pilot was rescued the same day.