A US rescue operation in Iran has been put at risk due to a technical fault with the aircraft
US special forces carried out an operation to evacuate a military specialist who had been left behind in Iran following the downing of a plane. The operation took place at night and involved infiltrating the country and escorting the soldier to an evacuation point, according to Reuters.
During the mission, two MC-130 aircraft, which had transported around 100 military personnel to an area south of Tehran, suffered technical faults and were unable to take off. As a result, the units faced the risk of being stranded in Iran.
The command decided to send additional aircraft for the evacuation. The troops waited for several hours before being evacuated in stages. The faulty MC-130 aircraft and four helicopters were destroyed to prevent the equipment from being captured.
The evacuated soldier was one of the crew members of an F-15E fighter jet that was shot down over Isfahan province. The pilots ejected separately. The first pilot had been evacuated earlier; the second remained on Iranian territory.
According to sources, the serviceman had sustained a leg injury and was hiding on high ground, after which he made contact and confirmed his identity. Prior to the operation, measures were taken to disorient the Iranian side, and communications were blocked and access to the area restricted.
Lighter turboprop aircraft capable of landing on small airstrips were used during the evacuation.
Iranian forces opened fire during the search operation. Two Black Hawk helicopters were hit but managed to leave Iranian airspace. There are separate reports of the loss of an A-10 Warthog aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz, whose pilot ejected.
According to US Central Command, 13 American servicemen were killed and over 300 wounded as a result of the conflict.
Following the conclusion of the operation, US President Donald Trump stated that it had been one of the riskiest rescue missions in the country’s history.
