CENTCOM commander directed strike on IRGC in underground facility
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
High-level sources told Fox News that during rescue efforts in Iran after the downing of a US warplane, US Central Command launched an attack on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters in an underground facility.
As the airmen’s rescue continued, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper led an attack on IRGC headquarters at an underground facility near Tehran; According to sources, this was done with B2 bombers using huge regulation penetrators, the same weapon used in Operation Midnight Hammer last year. Fox News was told the headquarters had been destroyed.
US military B1 bombers (BONES) dropped 100 of their 2,000-pound bombs during rescue operations to keep the Iranians away from the rescue zone during the operation, according to a senior US defense official.
“We gave the heat” to the IRGC, a senior military source told Fox News.
RESCUE EXPERT SAYS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME TO RESCUE FROM BEHIND ENEMY LINES COMES AFTER THE ‘JACKPOT’ CALL
Adm. Charles Bradford “Brad” Cooper II, commander of U.S. Central Command, speaks during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, March 5, 2026. (Octavio JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
CENTCOM noted in a note: Press release He said US forces rescued two soldiers after their F-15E was shot down.
Fox News was told that the operation took place between two rescues: Cooper ordered the B2s to fly roundtrip from Whiteman Air Base in the United States because they had received time-sensitive intelligence on the location of multiple Revolutionary Guard commanders in this underground bunker in Tehran and Massive Ordinance Penetrator bunker buster bombs were dropped by B2 fighter planes.
FORMER PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS AIRIOR RESCUES SHOW WE CAN INfiltrate ENEMY TERRITORY ‘ANYWHERE’ IN IRAN
A handout image provided at an unspecified location in Iran on April 5, 2026, shows debris from what Iranian officials said was a crashed U.S. military helicopter during a mission to rescue the missing American pilot of a crashed F-15E. (Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance/Statement via Getty Images)
Following the rescues, President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “We rescued a seriously injured and truly brave F-15 Crew Member/Officer from deep in the mountains of Iran. The Iranian Army was looking and closing in large numbers and intently. He is a highly respected Colonel. These types of raids are rarely attempted due to the danger of ‘men and equipment’. This does not happen!”
RETIRED F-16 PILOT SAYS US AVIator’S SURVIVAL IN IRAN HIGHLIGHTS INTENSIVE EVASION TRAINING
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
“The second raid followed the first raid in which we rescued the pilot in broad daylight; again, unusually, we spent seven hours over Iran. A STUNNING display of courage and skill by all!” he said.
