One of the major news headlines when the war between Iran, Israel and the United States was the downing of a US fighter jet in Iran by Iranian forces in the early hours of Friday, April 3, 2026.
After the jet was shot down, the US military announced a rescue operation to get the two men who were in it. More than 2 days after the downing of the jet, the military announced the successful rescue of the soldiers who had been stranded in Iran and had a bounty on their heads by the Iranian military.
Details of the rescue operation and declassified video of it have now been shared in an exclusive report on CBS News’ 60 Minutes.
In the report, one of the soldiers who was shot down, a US Air Force officer, revealed how he survived for two days behind enemy lines in Iran before being rescued in one of the most complex US military recovery operations.
The officer, a colonel of the US Air Force, identified only by his mission call sign, “Bravo”, was the weapons systems officer aboard an F-15E fighter jet when the aircraft was hit by an Iranian missile.
He and the pilot, known as “Alpha”, ejected from the aircraft but landed about five miles apart.
Bravo suffered serious injuries, including a broken back, arm and shoulder. His parachute had also been damaged, causing him to fall at an estimated 70 to 100 miles per hour.
He said that despite his injuries, he moved away from his landing site and climbed a roughly 7,000-foot ridgeline to avoid Iranian forces.
The pilot was rescued within hours, but Bravo remained behind enemy lines for another two days.
US forces eventually located him and sent elite Air Force pararescue operators to reach him on the mountain.
US fighter jet shot down over Iranian airspace – Report
Declassified footage obtained by 60 Minutes shows the rescuers reaching Bravo and bringing him to safety.
The US military has indicated that the rescue operation, which involved over 21 aircraft, was the most sophisticated operation it has undertaken.
The video showed the US jets neutralising Iranian forces who were getting closer to Bravo.
It showed the moment two special forces operators got down from one of the helicopters involved in the operation to take the wounded soldier to safety.
Watch the video below:
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