Rescue mission preceded by bombing

US B-1 bombers targeted roads as well as personnel and garrisons of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The focus was on destroying roads near the area of the rescue operation to prevent Iranian forces from reaching American troops and aircraft.

During a press conference on April 6, Donald Trump announced that 155 aircraft had participated in the search and rescue operation. “It was largely a deception. We wanted them to think that he was somewhere else, because they had massive military forces there. Thousands of people were looking for him,” the president said.

The rescue mission concerned the second crew member of the F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iran. After the aircraft was downed, both sides of the conflict began searching for the pilot. Iran offered a reward for finding the officer. Anyone who handed over the pilot alive to the authorities would receive 10 billion tomans, equivalent to approximately 76,000 dollars. The pilot was located and safely transported by helicopter by US forces. Donald Trump assured that no American soldiers were injured during the rescue operation.