President Donald Trump hailed the U.S. military's rescue of a downed F-15 pilot in Iran as an 'Easter miracle,' praising the operation's success in retrieving the second of two pilots shot down over the country. The colonel, who evaded capture for nearly two days, was rescued by a team of special forces supported by drones and warplanes. Two of the five rescue planes were destroyed to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.
The operation involved hundreds of personnel and multiple aircraft, with the CIA reportedly deceiving Iranian forces by claiming the colonel had already been found. Trump emphasized that such a rescue had never been attempted in such hostile territory, calling it a historic achievement.
The rescue drew comparisons to past daring missions, including the 1995 recovery of U.S. pilot Scott O'Grady in Bosnia. O'Grady, who ejected after his plane was hit by a Serbian missile, survived for six days before being rescued by U.S. Marines. He credited his survival to evasion tactics and support from overhead drones.
The operation's success has sparked discussions about the U.S. military's capabilities in high-risk rescue missions, with some analysts noting the strategic and political implications of conducting such operations in enemy territory.