# US rescues injured airman from deep inside Iran

> Military releases footage of one of its largest combat search-and-rescue operations, involving 92 troops on the ground.
- Title: US rescues injured airman from deep inside Iran | Shortify
- Summary: Military releases footage of one of its largest combat search-and-rescue operations, involving 92 troops on the ground. The US conducted an unprecedented…
- Keywords: us military, iran, search and rescue, f-15e strike eagle, combat operation, airman rescue, pararescue operators, iranian revolutionary guard, central command, april 2025, news, entertainment
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/16/us-news/us-military-releases-footage-of-massive-operation-to-rescue-injured-airman-stranded-inside-iran
- Published: 2026-09-16T11:41:06+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: us military, iran, search and rescue, f-15e strike eagle, combat operation, airman rescue, pararescue operators, iranian revolutionary guard, central command, april 2025, news, entertainment
## Fighter jet shot down over Iran
An F-15E Strike Eagle was hit by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile in April, forcing both the pilot and weapons officer to eject miles apart over Iranian territory.
## Pilot rescued quickly, weapons officer stranded
The pilot was rescued after six hours, but the weapons officer, call sign Bravo, suffered a broken back, arm and shoulder from a hard parachute landing and remained stranded for nearly two days.
## Bravo climbs toward safety despite injuries
Despite his broken back and arm, Bravo moved away from his landing site and climbed toward a 7,000-foot ridgeline as US bombers and drones struck nearby Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces.
## Pararescue operators reach the injured airman
On April 5, two elite Air Force pararescue operators reached Bravo on the mountain ridgeline after landing larger search-and-rescue aircraft on a makeshift desert runway.

> one of the greatest moments of my life
## 92 troops deployed inside Iran
The rescue operation put 92 US service members on the ground in Iran, the first American boots on the ground there since 1980, with hundreds more supporting from the air.
## Rescue aircraft trapped, extraction required
The landing gear of two rescue aircraft became stuck in desert sand, stranding Bravo and 90 troops inside Iran until a clandestine Air Force unit extracted everyone roughly 50 hours after the jet was shot down.
## Key takeaway

The US conducted an unprecedented boots-on-the-ground rescue operation in Iran in April, deploying nearly 100 troops to save an injured airman stranded for nearly two days.