In a detailed account of the high-risk rescue mission, Donald Trump revealed that US officials initially feared the missing airman’s radio signal might have been part of an Iranian trap. The concern arose when the stranded officer transmitted a brief message—later clarified as “God is good”—which momentarily raised suspicions that enemy forces could be attempting to lure US rescuers into an ambush.
The airman, a crew member of an F-15E Strike Eagle, had ejected over Iran and survived for more than 24 hours in rugged mountainous terrain. During that time, he hid inside a narrow rock crevice while, according to Trump, thousands of Iranian troops and local civilians searched for him. Tehran had reportedly announced rewards for information leading to his capture, intensifying the urgency of the rescue effort.
To avoid detection, the officer relied on survival training and minimised the use of his emergency beacon, instead communicating intermittently through secure, encrypted channels. This cautious approach helped prevent his location from being exposed while still allowing US forces to coordinate the rescue.
Meanwhile, US intelligence agencies worked to locate him using advanced surveillance capabilities. Alongside this, the CIA reportedly carried out a deception campaign, spreading false information suggesting that the airman had already been found and was being moved elsewhere. This tactic was designed to divert Iranian search teams away from the actual location.
Once the officer’s position was confirmed, the coordinates were relayed to military leadership, and Trump authorised the extraction. The operation involved a large special forces deployment and was conducted under the cover of darkness after an earlier mission had already rescued the pilot from the same aircraft.
Additional support came through coordination with allies. While Israeli intelligence did not directly identify the airman’s position, it provided real-time updates on Iranian troop movements, and its air force reportedly conducted strikes to slow advancing forces near the rescue zone.
The mission ultimately succeeded, with the wounded officer safely extracted despite the high-risk conditions. The episode highlights the combination of intelligence, deception, and precision military coordination required to carry out operations deep داخل hostile territory while under active pursuit.
