Former Pentagon official stated that the rescue mission of the American pilot in Iran was not merely a simple operation, but also a warning to the Iranian authorities: the United States can reach any location within Iran and carry out various actions from rescuing to protecting sensitive targets. He emphasized that this operation highlights the seriousness of the ultimatum given to Iran by President Trump.
On Sunday (April 5th), retired Navy Colonel Brent Sadler spoke on the “Fox & Friends Weekend” program, saying, “This sends a message to the Iranian leadership that we can go anywhere we want and hold our ground as long as necessary to complete the mission as we see fit.”
“We can not only rescue our pilots, but also go to places we need to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities or capture their remaining leadership.”
Last Friday, a US F-15E fighter jet was shot down in Iranian territory, and the pilot and Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) ejected to safety. The pilot was rescued on the same day in the early morning, while the WSO was rescued on the following Sunday morning after being stranded for about 36 hours.
Sadler mentioned reports stating that intelligence agencies and special forces from different branches of the military were involved in the operation, and US regional allies also played a role.
“Our Gulf partners had to approve this aircraft flying over their airspace in advance. They didn’t know the purpose of this aircraft, and I believe Israel was deeply involved as well. They diverted attention and attack direction to distract the Iranians or keep them busy, so we could focus on locating and evacuating our pilots,” he explained regarding the rescue operation.
Sadler added that this bold operation shattered Iran’s hopes of using the downed fighter pilot for political purposes or hindering any US military actions. He also emphasized that the successful rescue mission highlighted the seriousness of President Trump’s deadline urging Iranian leaders to return to the negotiating table.
Military experts have expressed concerns that if American pilots fall into enemy hands, the Tehran authorities would gain a vital propaganda tool and leverage during critical moments of war. US officials fear that the Iranian regime would exploit the captured pilot to seek maximum concessions from the US.
“Although we successfully located and evacuated our pilots, military operations and attacks against Iran continue. This underscores that President Trump’s deadline is very serious, and the Tehran regime better take it seriously, or they will face greater consequences,” Sadler stated.
Former commander of the US Central Command, retired General Frank McKenzie, also appeared on CBS News program “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Sunday, describing the US military rescue operation as a “painful lesson for Iran.”
McKenzie mentioned that despite Iranian leaders calling on the public to surrender the missing WSO, they were unable to locate him. The officer remained hidden within Iran for over a day.
McKenzie emphasized that the overall US military rescue operation was successful, and the plan was executed “quite effectively.”
“We have undergone numerous training drills for this. Every time crew members are sent to fly over enemy territory, we develop detailed rescue plans. This is the most fundamental principle for us as US military personnel,” explained McKenzie.
Regarding media reports on the loss of US aircraft during the rescue operation, McKenzie pointed out that although the US lost several aircraft in this mission, “building an aircraft takes a year, while establishing a military tradition that never abandons any comrade takes two hundred years.”