Iran claims to have shot down more US aircraft as Trump hails ‘miraculous’ rescue mission | World | News

Iran has released unverified pictures allegedly showing the burnt-out wreckage of an aircraft. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Easter Sunday a US aircraft had been destroyed.

Iran had already claimed early on Sunday to have downed a total of three American military aircraft in recent hours – a C-130 refuelling plane and two Blackhawk helicopters. It was not immediately clear whether the two allegations were linked, nor whether these aircraft had been part of the “miraculous” rescue mission of the F-15 pilot downed in Iran on Friday. Iran’s latest claim has not yet been confirmed by the US. President Trump has claimed there were no American casualties in the operation.

But today (Easter Sunday), Iran’s state TV aired a video showing thick black smoke rising into the air, claiming that they had shot down an American transport plane and two helicopters that were part of the rescue operation. However, a regional intelligence official briefed on the mission told The Associated Press that the U.S. military blew up two transport planes due to a technical malfunction, forcing it to bring in additional aircraft to complete the rescue. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the covert mission, AP also addded.

Unverified claims from Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoting the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters said the US aircrafts were downed in southern Isfahan, thwarting an attempted mission to rescue a downed American fighter pilot.

According to the same spokesman, the incident followed desperate efforts by US forces to infiltrate central Iran and extract the pilot. A joint operation involving the aerospace and ground forces, volunteer Basij units, and law enforcement servicemen successfully intercepted and neutralized the incoming aircraft, Iran also claimed.

These claims came after Mr Trump said the missing airman was rescued in an operation that involved dozens of aircraft. The missing crew member was on board a F-15 jet, which was shot down on Friday by Iranian forces. One service member was rescued within a few hours of the incident, while a search operation for the second continued throughout Friday and Saturday.

The US President said the pilot “sustained injuries, but he will be just fine”. In the triumphant message that followed the succesfull operation, he also said this was “the first time in military memory that two U.S. pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in enemy territory”.

After ejecting from the F-15E, it is believed the officer hid in a mountain crevice, with his location initially unknown to either Americans trying to rescue him, or Iranians trying to capture him, it was also reported. Local Iranian authorities announced a $66,000 reward for those who could find the missing US crew member. Iranian state media had urged civilians to participate in the search during Friday night broadcasts, informing audiences: “If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police you will receive a precious prize.”

Meanwhile, Iran continues to target energy infrastructures in the Gulf. A drone attack hit two power plants and put a water desalination station out of service, Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity said No injuries were reported from the attack, the ministry added.

In Bahrain, a fire broke out at the national oil company’s storage facility after a drone attack. The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported. The Ministry of Defence said that since the start of the war, the country has intercepted 466 drones, which also targeted the country’s Gulf ‌Petrochemical Industries Company.

Israel struck more than 120 targets of the Iranian regime in central and western Iran, IDF said, targeting ballistic missiles array sites, UAV production, as well as launching and air defense sites.