F-15E Pilot's Radio Call for Help, US Military Suspected Iranian Trap
A US F-15E fighter jet was shot down in Iran, and both pilots were rescued after ejecting. Trump stated that the Iranian military used shoulder-fired missiles to shoot down the jet, and about 200 special operations forces were mobilized for the rescue. One pilot's radio message, "Power be to God" or "God is good," made the US suspect an Iranian trap. US defense officials confirmed Trump's statement and said the Israeli Defense Forces provided intelligence and airstrike assistance for the rescue operation.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 6, 2026 at 22:16
- 🔍 Collected: April 6, 2026 at 23:27 (1h 11m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 12:34 (205h 6m after Collected)
An F-15E fighter jet was shot down by Iran recently, and after the two pilots ejected, one was rescued, and the other was rescued after hiding in Iran for some time.
Donald Trump said that the Iranian military shot down the F-15E fighter jet with shoulder-fired missiles, and "they were just lucky"; about 200 special operations forces soldiers were mobilized for this rescue operation.
Axios reported that, according to Trump, the second pilot, a weapon systems officer, was hiding in a rock crevice in the mountains, and the US military had already located his "electronic signal."
However, a radio message made US officials begin to suspect whether he had fallen into Iranian hands and whether Iran was trying to lure the US military into a trap by "sending false signals."
Trump said that after the weapon systems officer ejected from the fighter jet, he sent a brief but unusual message on the radio, "He said 'Power be to God'."
US defense officials confirmed Trump's statement but said the pilot's original words were "God is good."
Trump bluntly said: "What he said on the radio sounded like a Muslim." However, Trump immediately added that those who knew the pilot explained that he was indeed a devout person, and it was reasonable for him to say such words.
Defense officials also confirmed this statement: "The situation was not clear at first, but we persevered and finally confirmed that he was alive and not captured. Those who knew him said he was very devout."
Trump mentioned that as for the other F-15E pilot, he was quickly rescued by the US military during the day under intense Iranian fire.
US defense officials explained that the first rescue operation on the 3rd of this month was "boldly and quickly completed" during the day, and the second was completed at night after setting up a temporary base in Iran.
The official said that the two pilots were miles apart in Iran, and hundreds of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) soldiers were present at the scene.
In addition, Trump mentioned that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) provided "slight" assistance during the US military's search and rescue of the two pilots. According to US defense officials, Israel provided intelligence on the situation on the ground.
Israeli officials said that the Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike to prevent Iranian forces from reaching the incident area. (Compiled by Hung Pei-ying) 1150406
Donald Trump said that the Iranian military shot down the F-15E fighter jet with shoulder-fired missiles, and "they were just lucky"; about 200 special operations forces soldiers were mobilized for this rescue operation.
Axios reported that, according to Trump, the second pilot, a weapon systems officer, was hiding in a rock crevice in the mountains, and the US military had already located his "electronic signal."
However, a radio message made US officials begin to suspect whether he had fallen into Iranian hands and whether Iran was trying to lure the US military into a trap by "sending false signals."
Trump said that after the weapon systems officer ejected from the fighter jet, he sent a brief but unusual message on the radio, "He said 'Power be to God'."
US defense officials confirmed Trump's statement but said the pilot's original words were "God is good."
Trump bluntly said: "What he said on the radio sounded like a Muslim." However, Trump immediately added that those who knew the pilot explained that he was indeed a devout person, and it was reasonable for him to say such words.
Defense officials also confirmed this statement: "The situation was not clear at first, but we persevered and finally confirmed that he was alive and not captured. Those who knew him said he was very devout."
Trump mentioned that as for the other F-15E pilot, he was quickly rescued by the US military during the day under intense Iranian fire.
US defense officials explained that the first rescue operation on the 3rd of this month was "boldly and quickly completed" during the day, and the second was completed at night after setting up a temporary base in Iran.
The official said that the two pilots were miles apart in Iran, and hundreds of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) soldiers were present at the scene.
In addition, Trump mentioned that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) provided "slight" assistance during the US military's search and rescue of the two pilots. According to US defense officials, Israel provided intelligence on the situation on the ground.
Israeli officials said that the Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike to prevent Iranian forces from reaching the incident area. (Compiled by Hung Pei-ying) 1150406
FAQ
What was the rescue situation for the two F-15E pilots after their jet was shot down in Iran?
Both pilots were rescued after ejecting; one was rescued quickly, and the other was rescued at night after hiding in Iran for some time.
Why did the US military suspect the pilot's radio message was a trap?
One pilot's radio message, "Power be to God" or "God is good," was unusual, leading US officials to suspect it might be a false signal from Iran to lure the US military.