Overview
- U.S. officials said Sunday that special forces recovered the second F‑15E crew member in southwest Iran and flew him to Kuwait, with President Donald Trump saying he is injured but expected to recover.
- The rescue capped roughly 36 hours of Combat Search and Rescue, a mission set that pairs elite medics and commandos with heavy air cover to reach downed aircrew, with CIA deception and wide surveillance guiding teams to the hiding airman.
- As Iranian units and armed locals moved toward the area, U.S. jets and drones struck approaching convoys to keep them away during the pickup, according to reports citing U.S. sources.
- Axios reported a Black Hawk helicopter took ground fire and its crew was wounded, and media citing the New York Times said two MC‑130J transports were destroyed on the ground to prevent capture, while Iran claimed a separate U.S. aircraft was hit near Isfahan.
- Iranian state outlets amplified claims of shootdowns as Trump kept pressure on with a 48‑hour demand to open the Strait of Hormuz that runs through Monday, a standoff that could widen military and economic risks in the Gulf.