US pilot shot down over Iran rescued in mammoth 21-aircraft operation

| Live News reporter Published September 14, 2026 4:03pm Updated September 14, 2026 4:06pm The US pilot known as Bravo called the rescue mission that saved him a ‘miracle’ (Picture: CBS/60 Seconds) A US Air Force pilot has described the moment he was rescued in a 21-aircraft operation along with another soldier after their plane was shot down over Iran. The two US troops, who are known by their mission call signs Alpha and Bravo, were ejected from the damaged plane and separated before they had to evade Iranian forces while they awaited rescue. They each landed roughly five miles apart from each other in a mountainous region south of Isfahan, with Iranian forces hunting them down. Bravo called his survival a ‘miracle’ after he broke his back, shoulder and arm following the crash. He ended up hitting the ground ‘somewhere between 70 and 100mph’. Speaking in an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes programme, Bravo said: ‘When I looked up and saw no parachute, that was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. ‘So I paused, right then, and I prayed, “Lord, your will be done. But if I’m getting through this, I need help.”‘ He also added: ‘I believe that it’s a testament to God’s provision in my life to bring me through that moment in a way that didn’t prevent injuries, but prevented any catastrophic injuries that would have affected my ability to survive.’ The other US airman, Alpha, who was shot down declined to be interviewed by CBS. However, he told the broadcaster: ‘Words cannot capture how thankful my family and I are and how proud I am to serve alongside each and every one of them.’ Bravo was resuced after spending 48 hours behind enemy lines. The two-seat F-15E jet, which costs £22million, was taken down by a shoulder-fired missile, according to CBS. Alpha, meanwhile, was rescued within six hours in an operation that involved intense fighting, the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said. ‘It was a gun fight all the way in and all the way out. But they got Alpha back,’ Hegseth said. Declassified video footage shows the risky daylight mission to rescue Alpha. In total, the US sent 21 aircrafts into the area to bring him home. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine also told CBS: ‘Anytime you go behind enemy lines in daylight, it’s gonna be dicey. ‘But given the threat to 44 Alpha, the decision was taken to boldly go behind enemy lines in daylight to make sure that we could get to him before anybody else could.’ Arrow MORE: Trump awkwardly addresses Melania’s absence in Ireland Arrow MORE: Boy, 15, found sitting on top of capsized boat after surviving days at sea News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.