By Spy Uganda
A U.S. military operation aimed at rescuing a downed pilot in central Iran has reportedly ended in failure, according to Iranian officials, amid sharply conflicting accounts from Washington and Tehran over the outcome of the mission.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Sunday that Iranian forces shot down multiple U.S. aircraft during the attempted rescue operation south of Isfahan.
“The enemy’s efforts to rescue the pilot of the downed plane have failed,” Zolfaghari said, claiming that two Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130 military transport aircraft were destroyed during the operation.
Iranian state media reported that a total of four U.S. aircraft, including two helicopters and two transport planes, were downed in what officials described as a coordinated response by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the regular army, and allied units.
The mission is believed to have been launched after the downing of a U.S. fighter jet, reportedly an F-15E, in Iranian airspace. Iranian outlets previously suggested that the pilot may have been captured after ejecting.
However, U.S. President Donald Trump presented a different account of events. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the operation as one of the most daring search and rescue missions in U.S. history and said both pilots had been successfully recovered and were safe.
Zolfaghari rejected the U.S. account, accusing Washington of attempting to justify a failed mission and mislead public opinion.
The incident comes amid rising tensions following a major military confrontation earlier this year. On February 28, joint strikes by the United States and Israel targeted Tehran and other Iranian cities, reportedly killing Ali Khamenei along with senior military officials and civilians.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. positions across the Middle East, escalating fears of a wider conflict.
With both sides offering conflicting narratives, the outcome of the rescue mission remains unclear, and independent verification has not yet been possible. Observers warn that the incident could further heighten tensions in an already volatile region.
