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

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 escaped death, but the Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) was rescued by US Special Forces after hiding in enemy territory for two days.

President Donald Trump described the operation as one of the most daring rescues in military history. The airman is uninjured, but the airman is unharmed.

Suspicious radio message sparks uproar

After the plane went down, the Weapon Systems Officer radioed a short message, "God is good." Trump told Axios that he initially heard it as "Power Be to God" and thought it might be an Iranian trap because it sounded like a Muslim saying it.

Officials confirmed that the officer is religious and that it resonates with his personality. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also posted "God is good" on Axios. This message initially raised suspicions in Washington, but it provided US forces with the first confirmation of his survival.

A 48-Hour Battle Alone in the Mountains

The airman spent time hiding on a 7,000-foot peak, evading Iranian forces with only a tether, 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 remained unaware of 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 his precise location, the White House, the Pentagon, and US military forces were notified. A Special Forces team was landed in the nearby area on Saturday night. No US personnel were injured in the operation, which involved approximately 200 soldiers.

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