Iran's military authorities said they thwarted a U.S. operation to rescue a fighter pilot and shot down three aircraft. The claim contradicts the U.S. account.
On the 5th (local time), according to Iran's Fars News Agency, the Spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya, Iran's joint military command, said, "The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the regular army, the Basij militia, and the Law Enforcement Command swiftly conducted a joint response and blocked the enemy's rescue attempt."
He added, "We shot down an enemy aircraft that violated the airspace south of Isfahan," and said, "Two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport aircraft were hit and are burning at the scene." Iran also released photos showing black smoke billowing from downed aircraft.
The claim conflicts with President Donald Trump's announcement. Earlier on social media, President Trump said that an officer who had gone missing among those aboard the F-15 fighter jet shot down in Iran was rescued safely. He emphasized the success of the rescue operation, saying, "The officer was injured but is in stable condition."
According to the U.S. side, after ejecting, the officer evaded Iranian military pursuit by hiding in mountainous terrain for more than a day despite injuries. The U.S. military then completed the rescue through a special operation in about 36 hours.
Iran, however, flatly denied the U.S. account. In a separate statement, the Spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya said, "The United States is distorting public opinion to conceal its operational failure." The Spokesperson added, "The operation south of Isfahan was a clear victory for the Iranian military," reaffirming a hard-line stance.