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‘God is good’: Inside the high-risk US mission to save a wounded airman shot down in Iran
In a scene that unfolded like a Hollywood script, hundreds of American troops descended into the rugged mountains of southwestern Iran on Saturday to rescue a wounded airman who had spent nearly two days hiding from Iranian forces.
What followed was a high-stakes combat search-and-rescue mission deep inside Iran, with U.S. forces racing to locate and extract the wounded officer before Iranian troops could reach him, deploying a large contingent of special operations forces and aircraft into hostile territory.
In total, the U.S. sent in more than 150 aircraft, sources told CBS News, and several different teams: Navy SEALs, Air Force Special Operations, Army Special Operations Aviation, search and rescue and combat medics.
One of the two crew members was flown to Landstuhl regional medical center in Germany, typically the first stop for U.S. soldiers wounded in combat zones, and the other is being flown there Monday, a senior U.S. defense official told Fox News.
As the rescue unfolded Easter Sunday, the pilot radioed a brief message to help U.S. forces identify him: “God is good,” a senior U.S. defense official confirmed to Fox News.
Here’s a look at how the scene unfolded.
A U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over Iran Friday, according to U.S. officials. Both the pilot and the weapons systems officer ejected from the aircraft.
The aircraft was operating as part of ongoing U.S. combat operations over Iran when it was shot down, though officials have not publicly detailed its specific mission.
While details of the incident were not immediately clear, Iranian state media released images of an ejection seat and debris that appeared consistent with an F-15E. Iran initially claimed it had downed a more advanced F-35 stealth fighter, but U.S. officials later confirmed the aircraft was an F-15 Strike Eagle.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a two-seat fighter jet flown by a pilot and a weapons systems officer, who manages targeting, sensors and weapons. The aircraft is designed for both air-to-air combat and deep strike missions against ground targets, allowing it to operate far inside enemy territory.
After the crew ejected and aircraft went down, U.S. forces quickly launched a combat search-and-rescue mission, deploying rescue helicopters into Iranian territory to recover the downed pilot.
The pilot was rescued later that day, within hours of the shoot down, in what Trump described as a daylight operation.
Rescue helicopters, including HH-60W Jolly Green II aircraft, came under Iranian small-arms fire as they moved in to extract the pilot, according to U.S. officials. Crew members aboard the helicopter carrying the pilot were injured, but the aircraft was able to fly safely out of Iranian territory.
An A-10 Thunderbolt II providing close air support for the rescue effort was also hit by enemy fire, according to U.S. officials. The aircraft was damaged, and the pilot later ejected over Kuwaiti airspace and was recovered.
While the Pentagon remained tight-lipped about the mission, Iranian state media blasted images from the crash and called on civilians to join in the search for the second crew member, an Air Force colonel, according to Trump.
The Pentagon has not publicly released the names of the crew members, a standard practice while operations are ongoing. Both airmen have been recovered and are receiving medical care at a U.S. military facility, according to officials.
Iranian state media urged civilians to help locate the missing crew member and offered a reward for his capture, while Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces launched a search in the region.
The weapons systems officer, a colonel with SERE training, was using his survival and evasion training to stay one step ahead of Iranian forces. He reportedly climbed 7,000 feet up a ridge and remained hidden there for nearly 48 hours, a senior defense official told Fox News.
The colonel hid in a mountain crevice while the CIA launched a deception campaign to convince the Iranian regime they had already located him and were moving him to the ground for exfiltration. While the Iranians were confused and uncertain of what was happening, the agency used its specialized capabilities to locate the American airman, a senior administration official told Fox News.
Trump said the American aviator was being “hunted down” by enemies who were “getting closer and closer by the hour.”
The U.S. used MQ9 Reaper drones to protect the area around where the U.S. believed the airman was hiding and fired on anything that came close to that area and any area where U.S. forces were operating, an administration official told Fox News.
At the same time, the U.S. launched strikes on nearby areas to keep Iranian forces away.
“We executed multiple large scale strikes in the surrounding area using every tactical jet in the U.S. inventory + B-1 Bombers to keep him safe,” a senior U.S. official said.
In between the rescue of the pilot and the rescue of the weapons officer, U.S. forces flying B2 bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri dropped “bunker buster” massive ordnance pentetrator bombs on an IRGC headquarters, a senior defense official told Fox News.
At the right moment, Trump said, he directed the military to send dozens of heavily armed aircraft to rescue the crew member, who the president said is “seriously wounded” but will recover.
When the colonel finally made radio contact to coordinate the pickup, he sent the message: “God is good.”
U.S. officials were not sure it was him at first. Trump told Axios they feared it was a trap. But those who knew the colonel said he was a man of deep faith.
Rescue helicopters, including HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft, came under Iranian small-arms fire during the extraction, sources told Air and Space Forces magazine.
U.S. forces established a remote airstrip inside Iran to support the rescue. Problems with two other transport planes prompted U.S. forces to blow them up rather than leave them behind in Iran, according to The Associated Press.
“The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies,” Trump said on social media.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for additional details on the mission.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Murder suspect on ICE hold accused of luring teen into death trap where victim’s final plea went unheard
An 18-year-old murder suspect is being held on an immigration detainer after prosecutors say he helped lure a 15-year-old Missouri boy into a deadly ambush where the teen begged for his life.
Yefry Archaga, 18, is charged with first-degree murder in the March 12 killing of 15-year-old Miles Young in Greene County.
Jail records show Archaga is being held without bond and is subject to a federal immigration hold.
A second suspect, Praize King, 18, is also charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the killing.
According to court documents obtained by the Springfield Daily Citizen, the attack was premeditated.
Prosecutors allege Archaga “planned and set up a 15-year-old boy to be murdered,” luring Young into what he believed was a meetup before ambushing him. Investigators say the victim believed he was meeting a girl, but instead walked into a coordinated setup involving multiple individuals.
Investigators say a juvenile suspect picked up Young after leading him to believe he was meeting a girl, despite warnings that it could be a setup.
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Court documents obtained by KY3 describe how the group had been driving around Springfield discussing the plan before stopping to retrieve a second vehicle. They then allegedly used two cars, including a black Mercedes, to track Young’s location and carry out the ambush.
When the vehicle stopped, Young ran.
A witness told investigators Archaga, allegedly wearing a black ski mask and armed with a “Glock-style” handgun, chased the teen on foot.
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“Defendant ambushed victim, chased victim on foot, and shot victim as victim was stating he wanted to live,” the probable cause statement says, according to the Springfield Daily Citizen.
Another witness reported hearing Young fall and cry out, “I just don’t wanna die,” followed by gunshots.
Young was struck in the chest and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Witnesses told investigators they believed Young had been targeted, possibly tied to a prior dispute. He was expected to testify in a 2025 homicide case, according to the documents obtained by the Springfield Daily Citizen.
Authorities allege Archaga fled after the shooting and was arrested March 31 in Webb City following a two-week search. He is scheduled to appear in court April 13.
At least one additional suspect, believed to be a juvenile, has not been publicly identified.
The killing has left Young’s family and community devastated.
“Miles was a compassionate, loving, and kind 15-year-old who brought light to everyone around him,” his family wrote on a fundraising page. “He was a big brother, a son, a grandson, and a friend… full of life and always showed care for others.”
“No parent should ever have to outlive and bury their child,” the statement reads.
As the family mourns, they say they are leaning on community support while detectives continue working to bring justice in the case.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Fox News Digital reached out to ICE and the U.S. Marshals for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pushing to expand the Dietary Guidelines for Americans into hospitals, integrating federal nutrition standards into patient care.
On March 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), led by Dr. Mehmet Oz, sent a memo directing hospitals to align their meals with the guidelines by reducing ultraprocessed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined carbohydrates and added sugars.
Kennedy reportedly shared that Oz’s memo effectively acts like a federal mandate, as hospitals may need to follow the dietary guidelines to maintain funding.
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Most hospital menus rely heavily on convenience foods, according to Dr. Hamid Khan, chief medical officer of Jorie AI, a healthcare revenue service.
“Patients are often served items such as pasta, processed deli meats, packaged snacks with artificial components, sugary desserts, cereals, juice and soda,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Although many hospitals have begun the implementation of ‘healthier options,’ the average menu still tends to prioritize low cost, long shelf life and ease of preparation over nutrition.”
Larger concerns include high sugar and sodium levels, processed ingredients and refined carbohydrates in hospital foods, Khan said. “There seems to be a lack of high-quality protein, fresh fruits, vegetables and healthy fats,” he added.
Khan said he has seen patients order their meals from Grubhub, DoorDash or Uber Eats because they felt the hospital menu options were not healthy enough.
“Most of the hospital meals do not provide adequate nutrients … to properly support healing, muscle maintenance, immunity or overall recovery,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Poor nutrition only makes things worse for this patient pool,” Khan went on. “Ultimately, poor nutrition is very harmful for elderly patients and people with chronic illnesses. They are at a higher risk for muscle loss, weakness, delayed healing, infection and re-infection.”
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian is partnering with Tampa General Hospital in Florida to transform hospital dining, introducing Mediterranean diet–inspired meals for patients.
Zakarian told Fox News Digital that hospital food is often a mix of “high desire, low-value and low-nutrition food,” typically priced to meet a strict per-plate cost that hospitals cannot exceed.
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“[There is] very little emphasis on original, pasture-raised proteins and fats like eggs, whole dairy grass-fed beef and poultry, and unprocessed vegetables,” he said.
In Tampa, Zakarian has been working since 2023 to eliminate all processed foods — removing items containing hormones, added sugars, seed oils and anything prepackaged.
“All the food originates from farms and gardens in and around Tampa,” he said, calling the mission “Farm to Gurney.”
Sec. Kennedy and CMS administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a similar initiative at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.
Vani Hari, known as the “Food Babe,” told Fox News Digital that this is the first time leaders in Washington are openly acknowledging that food is medicine.
“The fact that they had to send a memo reminding hospitals of that tells you everything about how broken the system is,” said Hari, who is based in North Carolina. “People are at their most vulnerable in a hospital bed – and for decades, nobody in charge seemed to care what they were eating.”
Medicare and Medicaid fund the majority of inpatient services, including at least half of inpatient days at 96% of hospitals and two-thirds or more at 80% of hospitals, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).
An AHA spokesperson told Fox News Digital that hospitals recognize nutritious food is an essential part of healing and recovery.
“They are deeply committed to providing patients with high‑quality, nutritious meals that meet clinical standards, individual dietary needs and federal guidance,” said the spokesperson.
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Hospital teams collaborate with registered dietitians and clinical staff to make sure each patient receives meals tailored to their medical needs and recovery plan, according to the AHA.
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The spokesperson also said the organization regularly evaluates current evidence-based nutrition recommendations and integrates them into meal programs.
“Beyond the hospital walls, we partner with community organizations to expand access to nutritious food, provide education on healthy eating, and support initiatives that promote long‑term wellness,” they added.
Accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson filed a Sunday court motion to bar all still cameras, video cameras and microphones from a critical hearing on April 17.
On that day, Robinson is scheduled to be present in court, and the state and defense are expected to make a flurry of motions.
Judge Tony Graf has not made a ruling on whether to ban electronic media throughout the course of the trial.
Fox News Legal Analyst Donna Rotunno, host of the podcast “Crime & Justice with Donna Rotunno,” said Graf should “take control” and make a definitive ruling on media in the courtroom throughout the rest of the proceedings.
She said the defense asking only to ban electronic media for the April 17 hearing could be indicative of a larger strategy, and that they may ask to bar media on a hearing-by-hearing basis. That way, if Graf rules against them, they will only lose the motion for one specific hearing, and not for all the proceedings moving forward.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has pleaded for cameras to be allowed during the trial.
“There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered,” she told Fox News’ Jesse Watters in an exclusive interview in November. “There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear. We deserve to have cameras in there.”
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“Why not be transparent?” Kirk continued. “There’s nothing to hide. I know there’s not because I’ve seen what the case is built on.”
Prosecutors also filed a response to a motion filed by Robinson’s team last week, asking the court to push a May 18 preliminary hearing back. The defense is asking to push back the preliminary hearing until expert discovery is complete, and prosecutors argue that the hearing should be held on the scheduled date.
The state argues that the defense is trying to confer upon itself rights during the preliminary stage of the trial that it is not entitled to until the actual trial itself, and that discovery is meant to be reserved for the trial, not preliminary proceedings.
Rotunno agrees that the defense has been given enough discovery leeway in the preliminary stage of the court proceedings, and that the hearing should remain scheduled for May 18.
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