Declassified footage shows US boots on the ground in Iran

New details reveal the scale and material cost of an operation to recover two American airmen shot down near Isfahan Newly declassified footage has revealed US troops operating deep inside Iran during an April mission to recover two American airmen whose F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down near Isfahan.

More than 90 US service members ultimately deployed on the ground, while several hundred personnel were in the air and several thousand supported the operation, CENTCOM commander Adm.

Brad Cooper told CBS’ 60 Minutes.

He described them as the first acknowledged US “boots on the ground” in Iran in 46 years.

The two-seat F-15E, valued by CBS at about $30 million, was brought down on April 3 by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile costing roughly $100,000 while carrying out a strike on facilities linked to Tehran’s missile and drone programs south of Isfahan.

Its crew, identified only by their mission call signs “Alpha” and “Bravo,” ejected and landed about five miles apart.

Alpha, the pilot, was recovered several hours later after the US sent 21 aircraft into Iran.

American helicopters came under fire during the extraction, and one was hit by small-arms fire, wounding crew members.

An A-10 involved in the search was also hit, forcing its pilot to eject after leaving Iranian airspace.

First on 60 Minutes: Newly declassified video shows the rescue of the U.S.

Air Force pilot who was shot down over Iran in April. https://t.co/jGagMqLvCy pic.twitter.com/KxqUITvbAN — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 14, 2026 Bravo, the weapons systems officer, remained in Iran for roughly two days after suffering a broken back, arm and shoulder during his ejection.

Iranian forces were searching for him as Washington mounted a much larger second extraction effort.

Newly released infrared footage shows US aircraft striking IRGC forces near Bravo’s position before two large special-operations transports landed on a makeshift strip inside Iran.

MH-6 “Little Bird” helicopters were then deployed to retrieve him from mountainous terrain.