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U.S. military conducts large-scale rescue of F-15E crew in Iran
In April 2026, the U.S. military conducted a large-scale rescue operation, codenamed 'Dude 44', to recover two crew members of an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over Iran. The aircraft was struck by a shoulder-fired missile near the Zagros Mountains, south of Isfahan.
The mission involved a massive deployment of resources, including 155 aircraft—comprising 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, four bombers, and 13 rescue aircraft—and hundreds of military personnel. To facilitate the extraction, the CIA implemented a deception campaign, directing aircraft toward seven different locations to confuse Iranian search efforts. Approximately 100 U.S. troops were deployed on the ground in Iran during the three-day operation.
While the pilot, callsign 'Alpha', was recovered quickly, the weapons systems officer, callsign 'Bravo', remained stranded in mountainous terrain for approximately 50 hours. Bravo was eventually extracted via an HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter under fire. In a recent interview on CBS '60 Minutes', Bravo provided the first public account of the ordeal, describing the moment of impact and the difficulty of surviving behind enemy lines.
Entities
CIA · Iran · Isfahan · United States Air Force · Zagros Mountains
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The weapons systems officer remained stranded behind enemy lines for approximately 50 hours before being rescued. www.leinetal24.de · www.hna.de · www.mannheim24.de · taskandpurpose.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The U.S. military deployed 155 aircraft, including 64 fighters and 48 refueling tankers, for the rescue operation. nspirement.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The F-15E was struck by a missile in a mountainous region south of Isfahan, near the Zagros Mountains. www.leinetal24.de · taskandpurpose.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The weapons systems officer, identified as 'Bravo', provided his first public account of the incident on CBS '60 Minutes'. taskandpurpose.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The CIA used a deception campaign, directing aircraft toward seven different locations, to confuse Iranian search efforts. nspirement.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The F-15E crew included a pilot (Alpha) and a weapons systems officer (Bravo). www.leinetal24.de · www.hna.de · www.mannheim24.de · taskandpurpose.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Nearly 100 U.S. troops were deployed on the ground in Iran during the rescue mission. taskandpurpose.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] An F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by a shoulder-fired missile near Isfahan, Iran. nspirement.com · www.leinetal24.de · www.hna.de · www.mannheim24.de · taskandpurpose.com