Trump revealed details of the rescue of a colonel from a fighter jet shot down in Iran

The second crew member of the American F-15, who was evacuated from Iranian territory after the plane was shot down on April 3, turned out to be a high-ranking colonel with serious injuries. 

This was reported in a post by U.S. President Donald Trump on the social media platform Truth Social on April 5, 2026. 

The American leader called the operation to rescue the officer an impressive demonstration of bravery, as the Iranian military was conducting an intensive search with significant forces and was in close proximity to the evacuee’s location.

Trump emphasized that the evacuation of both crew members took place under extremely risky conditions; in particular, the first pilot was rescued in broad daylight, which is a rare occurrence for such raids. The second rescue operation was launched immediately after the first, despite the risk of losing personnel and equipment. The U.S. President noted that two-thirds of Americans support ending the war against Iran as soon as possible, but he highlighted the professionalism of the military personnel involved in the mission. Currently, the rescued colonel is under medical supervision, and the circumstances surrounding the downing of the aircraft by air defense systems, likely with the support of Russian technology, continue to be investigated by the Pentagon.

U.S. Special Operations Forces successfully evacuated the second crew member of the F-15 fighter jet that was shot down over Iranian territory. The officer managed to avoid capture and hid in mountainous terrain for over thirty hours after ejecting.

The Iranian military reported a drone strike on a ship linked to Israel in the Strait of Hormuz. The MSC Ishyka caught fire following the attack.

Israel has warned residents of southern Lebanon of possible airstrikes. Residents of Tyre are advised to leave their homes immediately and move north of the Zahra River. 

The Israeli military reports airstrikes on Beirut. Command centers of Quds and PIH headquarters were hit. At the same time, a Hezbollah observation post was attacked. 

Following an airstrike near the Iraq-Iran border, the Shalamcheh border crossing was closed. At least one person was killed, and several others were wounded. Traffic through the crossing has been temporarily halted.

In Dubai, debris fell on a building, but there were no casualties. Meanwhile, sirens are sounding and warnings are being issued across the Gulf states.

Iran has stated that it will allow ships carrying “essential goods” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. However, it remains unclear exactly what constitutes such goods and whether restrictions on certain countries will remain in place.