After the Iranian attack, the F-15 pilot sent a three-word message to the US.

News Topical, Digital Desk : Amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran, a US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down in a mountainous area of ​​southwestern Iran on April 3. Both crew members ejected and saved their lives, but the Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) was  rescued by US Special Forces after hiding in enemy territory for two days .

President Donald Trump called the operation one of the most courageous rescues in military history. The airman, though injured, is safe.

Suspicious radio message creates a stir

After the plane went down, a weapons systems officer radioed a short message saying, "God is good." Trump told Axios that he initially heard it say, "Power be to God," and thought it might be an Iranian trap because it sounded like something a Muslim might say.

Officials confirmed that the officer is religious and that it fits his personality. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also posted "God is good" on X. The message initially raised suspicions in Washington, but it was the first confirmation to US forces that he was alive.

48 hours of fighting alone in the mountains

The airman spent time hiding on a 7,000-foot peak, evading Iranian forces with only a communication machine, a tracking beacon, and a handgun. He hid in a mountain crevice, constantly changing locations, and once climbed a 7,000-foot ridgeline to outrun his pursuers. The US didn't even know his exact location for more than 24 hours.

According to the New York Times, the CIA used its special capabilities to track his movements in the mountainous terrain. Iranian forces and locals raced to find him, but he continued to move.

Special Forces rescue  operation

After the CIA confirmed the precise location, the White House, the Pentagon, and US military forces were notified. A Special Forces team was airdropped into the nearby area Saturday night. No US troops were injured in the approximately 200-person operation.

Trump wrote on TruthSocial that this brave soldier was in enemy territory in the dangerous mountains of Iran, where our enemies were getting closer by the hour. He called it the first time in military history that two American pilots were rescued from enemy territory separately. The airman is injured, but according to Trump, he will recover.

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