A US Air Force colonel has been successfully extracted from Iran following a dramatic 36-hour combat search and rescue operation in the country's mountainous southwestern Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. The mission began after his F-15E fighter jet was shot down on Friday, April 4, and culminated with his extraction early yesterday, April 6.

The incident occurred when the F-15E was shot down, leading both aircrew members to eject. The pilot was located and rescued relatively quickly. However, the weapons systems operator, a senior officer with the rank of colonel, remained missing in a remote and hostile environment. US Central Command and CIA headquarters identified the colonel as a high-value target, prompting concerns that his capture would offer significant propaganda leverage to Iran, which had reportedly offered a substantial reward for his apprehension. President Donald Trump authorized an extensive "all-out" rescue mission, acknowledging the historical sensitivities and challenges associated with previous US operations in Iran.

The subsequent search and rescue effort was complex and dangerous, spanning over 36 hours. According to national security expert Yair Ansbacher, initial combat search and rescue (CSAR) attempts faced significant ground fire, with an A-10 Warthog and a Black Hawk helicopter reportedly hit during the mission to locate the first pilot. The missing colonel, who sustained injuries, reportedly leveraged his survival, evasion, resistance, and escape training to evade Iranian forces and local search parties. He is said to have scaled a 7,000-foot mountain ridgeline, taking refuge in a crevice armed only with a pistol.

The CIA reportedly launched a deception operation, spreading false rumors that American forces had already located the airman and were moving him within Iran, while he had not yet been reached by his comrades. As the window for rescue narrowed and Iranian forces closed in, US special operations forces, including Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos, were deployed. The colonel activated an emergency beacon, transmitting encrypted messages with his location. An initial message, "God is good," reportedly raised suspicions among US officials who considered it a potential trap, though associates later confirmed it reflected the colonel's religious beliefs.

Reports suggested that some local civilians in the area attempted to assist the Americans, possibly by blocking roads to hinder Iranian military movements. US warplanes also reportedly bombed convoys approaching the colonel's hiding place. The final extraction involved hundreds of US commandos and numerous aircraft. Plans for the colonel's removal by two MC-130J planes encountered difficulties, with reports suggesting issues such as muddy ground conditions or possible damage from Iranian fire. Ultimately, these planes and other equipment were reportedly destroyed by US forces before their departure to prevent technology from falling into Iranian hands. Iran's state television, however, reported that "several enemy American aircraft," including two Black Hawk helicopters and a military transport plane, were hit and burning in the Isfahan region by their forces. Additional US air assets were subsequently required to extract the entire rescue team and the colonel.

President Trump confirmed the successful rescue on Truth Social early yesterday, hailing it as "one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history." He stated the colonel, who sustained injuries but was expected to recover, was safe and sound after being hunted "behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran."