Iran Claims US Rescue Mission Failed, Says Multiple Aircraft Downed in Isfahan

Iran Claims US Rescue Mission Failed, Says Multiple Aircraft Downed in Isfahan

New Delhi, Apr 5: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed that a US-led rescue operation to retrieve a downed fighter jet crew member ended in failure, with several aircraft destroyed and casualties reported in southern Isfahan.

According to Iranian state media, at least five people were killed during the operation. Officials said multiple “intruding” aircraft were targeted, including a C-130 military transport plane and two Black Hawk helicopters.

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A spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the aircraft were struck while operating in southern Isfahan and were seen burning after being hit.

Iranian forces also claimed to have shot down an Israeli drone during the same operation.

The Iranian military described the rescue attempt as unsuccessful, stating that the mission “failed” after their air defence systems engaged the incoming aircraft.

Images circulated by Iranian media purportedly showed wreckage of a C-130 plane and smoke rising from the crash sites, though these could not be independently verified.

The claims come hours after Donald Trump said the United States had successfully rescued a missing crew member from a downed F-15E fighter jet in what he described as a “daring operation.”

Trump said the rescued officer, a colonel, sustained injuries but is expected to recover. He added that dozens of aircraft and hundreds of special operations troops were deployed deep inside Iranian territory to carry out the मिशन.

The US has not officially confirmed the losses claimed by Iran.

The incident follows the downing of a US F-15E Strike Eagle by Iranian forces earlier this week. The aircraft had two crew members on board. One was recovered shortly after the crash, while the second had remained missing for two days.

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Iranian media reported that the jet went down over central Iran, possibly in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

In a separate incident, Iran also claimed it shot down a US A-10 Warthog aircraft over Kuwait. The pilot reportedly ejected safely and was later rescued.

The conflicting accounts highlight the intensifying information war between both sides as the broader conflict in the region continues to escalate.