By Obinna Uballa
United States President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed that two American military officers who had been reported missing in Iran have been successfully rescued following a high-risk search and rescue operation.
Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform, declaring, “WE GOT HIM!” in reference to the second officer who had initially been unaccounted for after their aircraft was shot down.
Earlier reports on Friday indicated that one crew member from a downed U.S. F-15 fighter jet had been rescued while the fate of the second remained uncertain.
According to the president, the administration deliberately delayed confirming the rescue of the first officer in order to avoid jeopardising the operation to extract the second serviceman.
“Over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. history,” Trump wrote.
He said the second officer had been trapped behind enemy lines in mountainous terrain inside Iran and was being pursued by hostile forces before U.S. troops carried out the rescue.
“This brave warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies who were getting closer and closer by the hour,” the president said.
“At my direction, the U.S. Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the world, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine,” he added.
Tehran and Washington both confirmed on Saturday that Iranian forces had shot down the two-seat F-15E jet. The incident marked the first time Iran has successfully downed a U.S. combat aircraft since the United States and Israel began coordinated airstrikes on Iranian targets on February 28.
In a related development, two U.S. officials disclosed that the pilot of an American A-10 Warthog attack aircraft ejected safely after the jet crashed in Kuwait following Iranian fire. Reports by The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post indicated the aircraft had been shot down.
The developments come amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran as the conflict between the two countries intensifies.
Washington has also increased pressure on Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula through which a large share of the world’s oil and gas supplies passes.
Trump warned Iran that time was running out to comply with U.S. demands regarding the waterway.
“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to make a deal or open up the Hormuz Strait. Time is running out – 48 hours before all hell will reign down on them,” the president wrote on Saturday.
On March 26, Trump had announced a temporary pause in attacks on Iranian energy facilities, extending the halt for ten days until April 6 at the request of Iranian authorities.
In a televised address from the White House earlier in the week, Trump told Americans that the war with Iran could last another two to three weeks but expressed confidence that the conflict would soon reach its conclusion.
“We are going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast,” he said.
Meanwhile, global oil markets have reacted sharply to the escalating conflict and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The spot price for Brent crude surged to $141.36 per barrel on Thursday, its highest level since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to data from S&P Global.
The spot price reflects immediate demand for oil deliveries within the next 10 to 30 days and indicates tightening supply conditions caused by the disruption in the region.
The price spike placed Brent crude $32.33 above the June futures contract, which closed at $109.03 on the same day.
Despite the rising tensions, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signalled that Tehran remained open to diplomatic engagement under certain conditions.
In a post on X, he expressed appreciation for mediation efforts led by Pakistan but insisted that Iran was seeking a conclusive end to what it described as an “illegal war.”
“We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad,” Araghchi said. “What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting end to the illegal war that is imposed on us.”
Pakistan confirmed that efforts to broker a ceasefire between the two countries were ongoing and progressing.
At the same time, the conflict has continued to spill over into the wider Gulf region, with petrochemical infrastructure appearing to be a growing target.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi reported multiple fires at the Borouge petrochemical plant after debris from intercepted projectiles fell on the facility. Operations at the plant have been temporarily suspended.
In Bahrain, the state news agency said the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) confirmed that several of its operational units were struck by Iranian drones early Sunday morning.
Iranian state media also reported airstrikes on a petrochemical zone in southwestern Iran, leaving at least five people injured.
In another incident, a projectile struck an auxiliary building near the perimeter of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, killing one person, according to the Tasnim news agency. Officials said the plant’s main operations were not affected.
Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom confirmed that it had evacuated an additional 198 staff members from the Bushehr site, continuing an earlier planned evacuation amid growing security concerns.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced it had carried out what it described as “a wave of strikes” targeting locations in the Iranian capital, Tehran, further intensifying the regional confrontation.
