Iranian media claims several US aircraft destroyed in Isfahan, denies success of pilot rescue operation

Iranian state media has displayed the wreckage of a US C-130 aircraft, which was allegedly involved in the rescue of a downed fighter pilot in southern Iran. The US reported that the plane got stuck and was destroyed, while Iranian sources claimed it was shot down by their forces. These reports seem to contradict the US's claim of successfully retrieving the missing crew member. President Donald Trump described the mission as involving “dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons,” and stated that the airman “sustained injuries, but he will be just fine.” Analysts pointed out that the rescue operation stopped the airman from becoming a “bargaining chip” for Tehran. According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, the military claimed that “several enemy American aircraft in the southern Isfahan region were destroyed by the warriors of Islam, and the pilot rescue operation failed.” The report indicated that two Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130 transport aircraft were hit and on fire. Various Iranian media outlets released videos showing smoking wreckage, though CNN could not confirm their authenticity. Tasnim also accused Trump of attempting to “cover up his heavy defeat” by tweeting about the special operation. Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, shared one of the images, commenting, “if the United States gets three more victories like this, it will be utterly ruined.” The US confirmed that both crew members of the F-15E Strike Eagle were rescued after a multi-day operation. Trump called it “one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history,” noting that the second airman was found behind enemy lines with help from many aircraft and special forces. “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,” he added.