Iran military says U.S. rescue operation used abandoned airport in southern Isfahan

Iran’s military said on Sunday (April 5, 2026) that the U.S. operation to rescue a missing airman from a downed American fighter jet used an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan province.

“The so-called U.S. military rescue operation, planned as a deception and escape mission at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft, was completely foiled,” said Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for the military’s central command, Khatam Al-Anbiya.

He added that “two C-130 military transport planes and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed” during the operation.

A U.S. Air Force officer whose F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down in Iran on Friday (April 3, 2026) was rescued by U.S. Special Operations forces in “one of the most daring search and rescue operations in U.S. history” on Saturday night (April 4), President Donald Trump said on Sunday (April 5). Iran’s military termed the U.S. operation “a complete failure”, saying that it destroyed two transport planes, two helicopters and two drones.