U.S. President Trump posted on the ‘Truth Social’ platform on Sunday, April 5 warning that further devastating strikes would be carried out against Iran.
He wrote: “Tuesday will be ‘Power Plant Day’ and ‘Bridge Day,’” and directly warned Iran that if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, it will face serious consequences. “Open the [explictive] strait, or you will live in hell—just wait and see!” He also wrote “Praise be to Allah” at the end of the post, which, combined with his open use of profanity on Easter Day, drew controversy.
This statement came after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes destroyed key Iranian infrastructure. Earlier, the U.S. military had already carried out two rounds of strikes on a key bridge connecting Tehran and Karaj, resulting in at least eight deaths. Iranian sources said that during the second round of airstrikes, rescue personnel were still on site.
It was reported that since the conflict broke out on Feb. 28, Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to block “hostile vessels” from passing through. The blockade of this one of the world’s most important energy transit routes has continued to escalate tensions.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the U.S. military launched a high-risk rescue operation—two crew members of an F-15E fighter jet were shot down inside Iran and went missing, triggering a tense search-and-rescue mission that lasted for two days.
36 hours behind enemy lines: US launches an ‘epic’ rescue mission
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According to The Telegraph on April 5, Trump later announced in a high-profile statement: “We got him! (WE GOT HIM!)”, calling the operation “one of the boldest search-and-rescue missions in American history.’”
One of the pilots was rescued by helicopter on the day of the crash, while the other weapons systems officer evaded capture inside Iran for a full 36 hours.
Reports indicate that the officer was injured during ejection and carried only a handgun. He kept moving through rugged mountainous terrain, at one point climbing to around 7,000 feet to avoid Iranian forces. Iran even offered a $60,000 reward, encouraging local civilians to assist in the search.
At a critical moment, the officer suddenly left his concealed position and deliberately approached the rescue team, completing a “crucial leap” and successfully linking up with the SEAL team sent to extract him.
Fire suppression and deception: CIA ‘smoke bomb’ tactic succeeds
The entire rescue involved hundreds of special operations personnel and dozens of aircraft and helicopters. Daily Mail reported that heavy ground combat erupted during the operation, with U.S. forces using air firepower to continuously push back Iranian troops.
According to Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, the CIA employed a deception tactic during the mission, deliberately spreading false information that the pilot had already been found and evacuated, successfully misleading Iranian forces.
In the end, the rescue team completed extraction just before midnight, transporting the injured officer to Kuwait for medical treatment.
However, the operation was not without cost. Two MC-130J transport aircraft became stuck in sand on a makeshift runway inside Iran and could not take off; they were destroyed by U.S. forces to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Additionally, one MH-6 “Little Bird” helicopter was abandoned due to damage.
Propaganda and the reality of the operation
Iranian state media claimed to have shot down a U.S. C-130 transport aircraft and released images of the wreckage, attempting to regain the narrative advantage. However, U.S. officials explained that these planes were deliberately destroyed due to technical issues.
The Telegraph noted that the successful rescue not only saved the lives of the pilots but also denied Iran an opportunity for a propaganda victory.
Trump, summarizing the operation, emphasized: “This is the first time that two U.S. pilots have been successfully rescued deep behind enemy lines—we will never abandon a single warrior.”
The White House revealed that throughout the entire 36-hour operation, Trump remained in the Oval Office, receiving real-time briefings—including from the Secretary of Defense—and continuously directing decisions.
