US forces rescued the second crew member of a downed F-15 fighter jet in Iran, concluding a high-risk combat search-and-rescue mission deep inside hostile territory, President Donald Trump and other officials said.

Several media outlets, including The New York Times, reported the soldier, who was recovered in southwestern Iran early on April 5, was taken to a hospital in Kuwait for medical treatment.

The elaborate nighttime operation came one day ahead of a deadline Trump has set for Tehran to make a deal with Washington or open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. Iran responded defiantly to the warning from Trump, who warned it would face "hell" if the April 6 deadline is not met.

Media reports said two transport planes that were supposed to be part of the mission failed to leave a remote base in Iran. US officials said the aircraft were destroyed to keep Iran's military from obtaining them.

"We got him," US President Donald Trump posted onTruth Socialshortly after word of the rescue was made public. "He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine," he added.

The F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by Iranian air defenses on April 3, becoming the first US aircraft lost over Iran during the five-week conflict. The first crew member was recovered within hours of ejecting from the crippled jet.

In his post, Trump said no Americans were killed or wounded during the operations.

"Mission accomplished, a US official told RFE/RL following the April 5 rescue.

SEE ALSO:

Trump Gives Tehran 48 Hours To Make Deal, Open Strait Or Face 'Hell'

US Special Operations Forces

The second crew member -- identified as the weapons systems officer (WSO) -- was recovered early on April 5 local time in a complex, multilayered rescue effort involving US Special Operations forces and other military units.

According to US officials and regional sources cited by Fox News, both the rescued airman and the recovery team have since safely exited Iran.

There was no immediate official update on the WSOs condition.

Both crew members ejected when their aircraft was struck during a nighttime mission over southwestern Iran. According to Axios and Fox News, they quickly established contact with US forces using emergency communications equipment.

The WSO reportedly used Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training to avoid capture, moving away from the wreckage and taking cover on elevated terrain, where an emergency beacon was activated to guide rescuers.

US officials said Iranian forces, including members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and affiliated Basij units, were actively searching for the downed airman. American rescue teams faced attempts to intercept the operation, and US forces engaged to keep Iranian units at bay.

Ground Fighting

Fox News, citing sources briefed on the mission, reported that fighting occurred on the ground during the rescue, though no US personnel were killed. Videos circulating from local witnesses allegedly show casualties among Iranian forces involved in the search effort.

It was a very complex operation to retrieve the downed service member, a source familiar with the mission told Fox News, noting that multiple branches of the US military were involved.

The operation included elite rescue personnel such as US Air Force Pararescuemen, supported by air and ground assets. Two rescue helicopters were reportedly hit by enemy fire during the mission, with crew members wounded but able to withdraw safely from Iranian territory.

Hours before the rescue was confirmed, Iranian media reported air strikes in southwestern Iran, where the missing crew member was believed to be hiding.

Western officials said Israel delayed planned strikes in the area to avoid disrupting US rescue operations. The New York Times, citing an Israeli official, reported that Israel shared intelligence with US forces.

SEE ALSO:

One Crew Member Rescued After American Jet Shot Down In Iran, US Official Tells RFE/RL

Iranian authorities had also been searching for the crew members and had reportedly offered rewards to civilians who could capture and hand them over.

US officials had warned that the capture of an American crew member by Iranian forces could have sharply escalated tensions and complicated Washingtons broader military objectives in the conflict.

The downed F-15E was described as largely destroyed on impact.

In a related incident, Fox News confirmed that an A-10 Warthog providing cover for the rescue effort crashed on April 3 in Kuwait. The pilot ejected safely and was recovered.

Deadline Looms

The second F-15E crew member's rescue came as the deadline set by Trump, who has warned that the US will carry out extensive attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure if it is not met, drew closer.

Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of global oil and natural gas supplies normally pass, leading to a worldwide energy crisis and driving up prices.

Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out -- 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD! he wrote on his Truth Social platform on April 4.

On March 30, Trump said that "if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached" by April 6. US forces will react " by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)

Trump initially gave Tehran a 48-hour deadline on March 21 but then extended it, saying he wanted to give talks a chance. Iran has rejected a 15-point US plan presented to it via Pakistani mediators but has left open the possibility of further negotiations.

An Iranian military commander dismissed the latest threat from Trump on April 4, saying that the "doors of hell will be opened to you." General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi's warning came in a statement from Iran's central military command.

Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against Israel and Persian Gulf nations, in some cases targeting US forces or assets, since the war begin with US and Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28.

Bahrain's Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company said a fire broke out at one of its facilities after an Iranian drone attack and had been brought under control, the state news agency reported on April 5. No injuries were reported and damage was being assessed, the agency said.

The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said a fire broke out in its Shuwaikh oil sector complex, which houses the oil ministry and the state corporation's headquarters, KPC headquarters, after a drone attack, the Kuwaiti state news agency reported early on April 5.

Kuwaiti state media said an Iranian drone hit an office complex for government ministries, causing significant damage but no casualties. Also, Kuwait's electricity and water ministry said two power generation units were shut off after Iranian drones targeted two power and desalination plants, causing substantial damage.

'We Got Him' -- Missing US F-15 Crew Member Rescued In Iran

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