BREAKING: Second crew member from F-15 shot down in Iran RESCUED in daring mission

https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/2040642682314183155

Fox News's Jennifer Griffin posted the news to X, saying, "Fox News can confirm that the 2nd crew member of the downed F15E fighter jet has been rescued and he and the members of the rescue team that extracted him from behind enemy lines in Iran are all safely out of Iran. That according to two senior US officials and multiple well placed sources in the region. The Weapons Systems Officer ejected along with the pilot when their F15E Strike Eagle they were flying was struck Thursday night (early Friday local time) in southwest Iran.

"The WSO used the SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training to evade capture, hiding on an elevated ridge after hiking away from the wreckage and putting out an emergency beacon.) US Special Operations rescue forces to include PJs (United States Air Force Pararescuemen (PJs) and many layers of elite rescue forces took part in the complex, layered mission to both find the crew member and also keep the Iranian forces who were hunting the American weapons system operator at bay. There are videos that have appeared from local eyewitnesses that show what appear to have been injured and dead Iranian members of the IRGC and Basij who were looking for the downed American crew member. Fox has learned there was fighting on the ground but no Americans killed during the operation.

"'It was a very complex operation to retrieve the downed service member,' a well placed source briefed on the operation told me. Many different branches of the US military were involved in the rescue. Fox News can confirm the A10 Warthog that crashed Friday was involved in providing cover for the rescue teams searching for the pilot. That A10 crashed in Kuwait (first reported by ABC Friday) but the A10 pilot managed to eject safely and was rescued. There was destruction of aircraft which have sensitive equipment on board, I am told, all part of this complex CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) mission. The F15E was pretty much destroyed on impact. Two rescue helicopters were hit by enemy fire on Friday and crew members onboard were injured by enemy fire but managed to make it out of Iran. There were a lot of elements to this rescue, I am told."

https://twitter.com/JenGriffinFNC/status/2040637421373505989

President Trump responded to the news as it broke, posting on Truth Social:

"WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND! This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue. At my direction, the U.S. Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine. This miraculous Search and Rescue Operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave Pilot, yesterday, which we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation. This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory. WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND! The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies. This is a moment that ALL Americans, Republican, Democrat, and everyone else, should be proud of and united around. We truly have the best, most professional, and lethal Military in the History of the World. GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS, AND HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!"

https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2040644451513598220

Reports leading up to the rescue operation showed that the US was surging military personnel in the region. Video also showed that multiple helicopters were charging into the part of Iran where the jet was shot down.

https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2040566690220585029

The crew member was rescued from Iran late in the night. Leading up to the extraction, reports indicated the crew member was able to get in contact with the US military through encrypted radio.

After the jet had been shot down, President Donald Trump warned in a post to Truth Social, "Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!"

He then posted video of military strikes taking place in Tehran a few hours later, saying, "Many of Iran’s Military Leaders, who have led them poorly and unwisely, are terminated, along with much else, with this massive strike in Tehran!"

https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2040530749305049333?s=20

The second crew member is a weapons operator and the first crew member who was rescued was the pilot of the aircraft. The pilot was able to eject safely and was found alive in Iranian territory and got medical treatment after being extracted from the region.

The aircraft that was shot down is an F-15E Stike Eagle Fighter jet, which is used to conduct air-to-air as well as air-to-ground missions. After the jet was shot down, the Iranian regime had placed a bounty on the head of the pilots and posted photos of the purported wreckage of the jet. If Iran was the force that shot down the plane, it will be the first time enemy fire was able to take down a manned aircraft in the conflict. In another instance, Iran fired upon another aircraft on March 19, but the crew was able to escape and land safely at a US airbase.

This is a breaking story. Please refresh for updates.