When the missing US airman finally made contact from somewhere in the mountains of southwestern Iran, the message he sent was so short and so unexpected that it made Washington suspicious of a possible Iranian trap.
“Sounded Like Something A Muslim Would Say”
Trump told Axios that the weapons systems officer sent a short, unusual message over his radio after ejecting from his F-15E Strike Eagle. “He said: ‘Power be to God,'” Trump said.
“What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say,” Trump told Axios, adding that people who knew the officer later explained he was a religious person, and that it made sense for him to say that.
A US defence official confirmed Trump’s account to Axios but said the exact phrase used was “God is good.” US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth posted the same words on X.
The airman had a communication device and a tracking beacon with him in addition to a handgun. While Iranian and US forces raced to find him, he hid in a mountain crevice, kept moving, and at one point hiked up a 7,000-foot ridgeline to stay ahead of the forces closing in. His location remained unknown even to the United States for more than 24 hours.
7,000 Feet Up, Alone, Armed With Handgun: US Airman’s 48 Hours In Iran
The CIA eventually located his hiding place, using what the New York Times described as “unique capabilities” to track him as he moved through mountainous terrain and evaded locals.
Once his precise location was confirmed, the CIA shared it with the White House, the Pentagon and the US military, and a special forces team was inserted nearby on Saturday night.
How The Airman Ended Up In The Mountains
On 3 April, an F-15E Strike Eagle, a twin-engine, two-seat interdiction fighter jet, was shot down over southwestern Iran. The pilot was recovered shortly after the aircraft was hit. The search for the weapons systems officer stretched across two full days.
Announcing the rescue operation, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “This brave warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour.”
The officer sustained injuries, but Trump said he would “be just fine.” No members of the rescue team were killed or wounded. Trump described the mission as “the first time in military memory that two US pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in enemy territory.”
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