We’re not going to foreclose any option.

You can’t fight and win a war if you tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do to include boots on the ground.

The our adversary right now thinks there are 15 different ways we could come at them with boots on the ground.

And guess what? There are.

So if we needed to, we could execute those options on behalf of the president of the United States and this department.

The most complex combat search and rescue mission unfolded in the rugged mountains of southern Iran.

An American F-15E Strike Eagle had been shot down by Iranian ground fire during a high-risisk reconnaissance flight over the straight.

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The two crew members ejected safely, but one was badly injured and both were deep behind enemy lines.

What followed was a daring multi-layered rescue operation involving HC130J Combat King 2 aircraft for command and refueling, HH60G Pave Hawk helicopters for hoist extraction, MQ9 Reaper drones for persistent overwatch, and special operations teams on the ground, all executed under the constant threat of Iranian forces closing in.

The distress beacon from the downed F-15 triggered an immediate response at the forward command center.

The operations room lit up with urgent activity as the crew’s last known position appeared on the large screens, a remote valley only 20 km from a major IRGC base.

Every officer present understood the extreme risks.

The terrain was unforgiving with steep cliffs and narrow ravines.

Night was falling fast and Iranian search teams were already mobilizing in large numbers.

The decision was made within minutes.

Launch a full combat search and rescue package.

No one would be left behind.

The planning unfolded rapidly in the command center.

Two HC130 EJ Combat King 2 aircraft were selected as the primary command and refueling platforms because of their long range ability to loiter for hours and advanced communication suites that could coordinate the entire rescue in real time.

Two HH60G Pave Hawk helicopters were prepared for the actual rescue hoist and medical evacuation.

their crews loading medical trauma kits, stretchers, and hoist equipment.

A flight of MQ9 Reaper drones was tasked with providing persistent overhead surveillance, feeding live video and signals intelligence back to the command center.

F-35 stealth jets from the carrier were tasked with providing immediate air cover, ready to neutralize any surfaceto-air threats or enemy ground forces that tried to interfere.

Additional KC46 Pegasus tankers were positioned for multiple air-to-air refuelings to keep the rescue aircraft on station as long as needed.

In the ready rooms, the rescue teams began their final preparations with intense focus.

Teams packed specialized rucks sacks with suppressed weapons, night vision goggles, medical trauma kits, climbing gear, flex cuffs, and extra ammunition.

Each operator checked and rechecked his gear multiple times.

Giải cứu phi công Mỹ bị bắn hạ tại Iran: Nhiệm vụ 'khốc liệt và nguy hiểm'  - BBC News Tiếng Việt

Rifles were fitted with suppressors, optics were zeroed, and magazines were loaded with subsonic rounds for maximum silence.

Medics double-ch checked their blood packs, tourniquets, chest seals, and surgical tools.

The pilots of the HC1 and30JS and HH60Gs ran through their own checklists, ensuring every system was perfect for a high-risk mountain insertion under potential enemy fire.

The MQ9 drone operators verified sensor packages and communication links, knowing their live video feeds would be the eyes in the sky for the entire mission.

The rescue package launched under cover of darkness.

The HC130J Combat King, the SUK aircraft lifted off first, their four turborop engines filling the air with a deep, steady roar as they climbed to medium altitude to act as command and refueling platforms.

The HH60G Pave Hawk helicopters followed, flying low and fast to stay under radar coverage.

MQ9 Reaper drones were already orbiting high above the target area, feeding live video and signals intelligence back to the command center.

The entire formation moved as one, linked by encrypted communications and real-time satellite feeds.

As the rescue aircraft crossed into Iranian territory, the tension inside the cabins rose sharply.

The HC130JS maintain their orbit at medium altitude, ready to provide refueling or emergency extraction support.

The HH60Gs hug the terrain to avoid detection.

Their pilots navigating through narrow valleys and over steep ridges.

The MQ9 drones provided constant overwatch, scanning for enemy movement and relaying coordinates to the ground teams.

When the aircraft reached the designated insertion point, a small rocky clearing only 800 meters from the downed crew’s last known location, the HH60Gs slowed and hovered while the rescue teams fast roped down in seconds.

The HC130JS continued to orbit overhead, ready to provide refueling or emergency extraction support if needed.

The teams moved with lethal efficiency.

One group secured the landing zone while another pushed forward toward the beacon signal.

Night vision goggles turned the darkness into green daylight.

They moved silently through the rocks and scrub.

Every step calculated to avoid detection.

When they reached the downed F-15 crew, the pilot was conscious but badly injured a broken leg and shrapnel wounds.

The weapon systems officer had minor injuries but was mobile.

Mỹ đã tìm thấy phi công thứ hai của chiến đấu cơ F-15 rơi ở Iran |  baotintuc.vn

The medic immediately began treatment, stabilizing the pilot while the security team formed a tight perimeter.

Iranian search parties were already closing in.

The teams could hear voices and footsteps in the distance.

The command center made the call, “Extract now.

Air support is inbound.

” The HH60Gs returned, hovering overhead as the teams carried the injured pilot on a litter toward the hoist.

At the same moment, the MQ9 drones detected enemy movement and the F-35s above delivered precision strikes on approaching Iranian vehicles, buying the rescue team precious seconds.

The extraction was tense and precise.

The injured pilot was hoisted into the HH60G while the teams climbed aboard under fire.

Iranian troops opened up with small arms, but the F-35s and door gunners on the helicopters suppressed them instantly.

The HH60Gs lifted off, transitioned to forward flight, and raced away from the mountains.

The HC130JS met them on the way out, refueling the helicopters in midair so they could reach friendly airspace without stopping.

The moment the rescue package crossed back into safe airspace, the entire command center erupted in quiet relief.

Both crew members were alive.

The mission had succeeded against overwhelming odds.

The rescued crew was already in surgery, stable, and expected to make a full recovery.

The success of this operation sent a powerful message across the region.

American forces would go anywhere at any time to recover their own.

The morale of every service member in the theater soared.

The teams who flew the mission gathered quietly on the hangar deck.

There were no loud celebrations, just the quiet satisfaction of professionals who had done their job perfectly.

The rescued crew was already in surgery, stable, and expected to make a full recovery.

The waters of Hormuz continued to be monitored closely.

But for now, the focus remained on the safe return of the two airmen.

Every pilot who provided air cover, every operator who fastropped into hostile territory, and every sailor who supported the operation played a vital role in this turning point.

The rescue of two American airmen reminded everyone why they fight.