President Donald Trump on Sunday hailed the high-stakes rescue of an American F-15 crew member from Iranian territory as an "Easter Miracle." The mission successfully extracted a U.S. Air Force colonel who had been missing behind enemy lines since his aircraft was downed on Friday.
The President’s announcement, made via social media early Easter morning, marked the conclusion of a 36-hour search-and-rescue operation in the mountainous regions of Iran. Trump described the opposing forces as "large and violent," but praised the American recovery teams for their overwhelming success in the field.
The rescued officer was the weapons systems officer of an F-15E Strike Eagle that crashed during a kinetic engagement on April 3. While the jet's pilot was recovered shortly after the initial incident, the colonel remained in an evade-and-capture status for nearly two days as Iranian forces closed in on his position.
In his statement, President Trump lauded the rescuers as "brilliant, strong, decisive, and as cool as anyone can be." He noted that the Iranian government believed they were close to capturing the airman, but asserted the outcome "wasn't even close" once U.S. special operations assets arrived on the scene.
Pentagon officials confirmed that the extraction involved dozens of aircraft and a sophisticated deception campaign coordinated with the CIA to misdirect enemy forces. The mission took place under heavy fire, with at least two rescue helicopters reportedly sustaining damage from Iranian ground units before returning safely to a regional base.
The rescue occurs amid "Operation Epic Fury," a broader military conflict that began in late February. The President has maintained a posture of "peace through strength," recently warning of further strikes against Iranian infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened to international maritime traffic by Tuesday.
The colonel is currently receiving medical treatment at a U.S. military facility in Kuwait for injuries sustained during the ejection and subsequent evasion. White House officials stated the President has been personally monitoring the situation throughout the holiday weekend and plans to provide more details during a press conference scheduled for Monday.
Public reaction has centered on the "miraculous" timing of the recovery on Easter Sunday morning. Supporters of the administration have praised the tactical precision of the operation, while international observers remain focused on the potential for further escalation in the ongoing regional conflict.