Pilot sent three-word SOS after Iran shot down F-15E. It almost went unanswered

According to Trump, the officer hid in a mountain crevice while "thousands" of Iranian troops and local civilians searched for him, with Tehran offering rewards for his capture. US surveillance technology eventually tracked his location.

In Short

• US feared Iranian trap after officer's three-word radio message
• Wounded officer hid in mountain crevice over 24 hours
• Nighttime mission involved 200 troops and heavy fighting

In a dramatic account of the rescue of a downed F-15E Strike Eagle crew member inside Iran, President Donald Trump told Axios that US officials initially feared the stranded officer’s radio transmission was part of an Iranian trap meant to lure American forces into an ambush. The concern was sparked by the three-word message, 'God is good' sent by the stranded weapons systems officer after ejecting over Iran, which briefly raised suspicions that Iranian forces might be using false signals to set a trap.

The wounded weapons systems officer survived for more than 24 hours in mountainous terrain before being extracted in a high-risk nighttime special forces mission involving around 200 troops.

According to Trump, the officer hid in a mountain crevice while “thousands” of Iranian troops and local civilians searched for him, with Tehran allegedly offering rewards for his capture. US surveillance technology eventually tracked his location, but an unusual radio message, initially heard as “Power be to God.” Trump told Axios,"What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say," adding that people who knew the officer later explained he was a religious person, and that it made sense for him to say that. Later, the message was clarified by defense officials as “God is good,” which briefly raised concerns that he may have been captured and that Iranian forces were transmitting false signals.

Officials later confirmed the officer was alive and still evading capture.

The rescue followed an earlier daylight operation to recover the F-15E pilot, who had landed several miles away after ejecting from the aircraft. US defense officials described the first extraction as a “bold and quick snatch” under heavy Iranian fire, while the second mission was conducted overnight after American forces established a temporary base inside Iranian territory.

The stranded officer employed survival techniques and limited his use of a beacon to avoid detection, communicating instead through a secure encrypted device, as stated by US officials. This approach allowed coordination with US forces without revealing his position.

CIA'S DECEPTION TO DODGE IRANIAN FORCES

Concurrently, the CIA launched a deception operation within Iran, disseminating false information that the airman had been found and was being moved overland for extraction. This misdirection aimed to divert Iranian search efforts away from the officer’s actual location.

US intelligence used specialised capabilities to track the officer’s position. Once his location was confirmed, a senior administration official told Axios that coordinates were shared with the Pentagon and the White House. President Donald Trump authorised the extraction, later confirming the mission’s success on Truth Social.

Trump also told Axios that Israel provided limited assistance during the operation. While US officials said Israeli intelligence did not directly help locate the missing officer, it did provide situational awareness on Iranian troop movements, and the Israeli Air Force reportedly carried out a strike to slow Iranian forces advancing toward the rescue zone. Calling the partnership strong, Trump said the two allies had worked closely during the operation.

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