Ex-Pentagon official says Iran rescue warns Tehran of US reach
US rescues airman lost deep in Iran
Retired Navy Captain Brent Sadler joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss the training and process behind the extraction of two US airmen aboard an F-15E that was shot down deep in Iran.
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A former Pentagon official said the rescue of a US airman in Iran was more than a rescue mission, saying it was a warning to Tehran that the US could enter any part of Iranian territory to conduct operations ranging from rescue operations to the security of sensitive targets.
“This shows the Iranian leadership that we can go wherever we want and hold our ground as long as we are willing to complete a mission,” retired Navy captain Brent Sadler said on “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday.
TRUMP DESCRIBED RESCUE OF DOWN AIR FORCE PILOT AS ‘MIRACLE OF THE EASTERN’
An F-15E Strike Eagle takes off for a combat flight at an undisclosed location on March 16, 2026, in support of Operation Epic Fury during the Iran war. (US Air Force/Reuters)
“Not only can we rescue our pilots, but we can also get to where we need to to secure the nuclear equipment or what’s left of their leaders.”
Sadler’s comments came after a US Air Force weapons systems officer (WSO) was rescued after hiding for nearly 36 hours early Sunday morning local time.
The pilot and the WSO ejected from the F-15E fighter jet that was shot down over Iran on Friday. The pilot was rescued that morning.
IRANIAN guards are placing children under 12 on the front lines of the war
A large cloud of smoke rises over Tehran, Iran, after the explosions that occurred in the city on the night of March 28, 2026. (Getty Images)
Sadler said there were reports that intelligence agencies and special forces from various military agencies were involved in the operation, and that America’s regional allies also played a role.
“Our Gulf partners should have given some permission for the plane to pass. They didn’t know what it was for, and of course the Israelis, I think they [were] “We’re deeply integrated into that to change their targets and attacks to either draw the Iranians away or engage them while we focus on finding our pilot and getting him out.”
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Sadler added that the daring operation dashed any hopes Iran had of using the downed airman for “political purposes” or halting U.S. military operations, and said the successful rescue mission should underscore the seriousness of the deadline President Donald Trump gave Iranian leaders Monday to return to the negotiating table.
“Even though we captured and successfully extracted our pilot, the operations and attacks continued, which means that the deadline given by President Trump is very serious and the regime in Tehran must accept it as such, because otherwise there are many more that will stand in their way.”
Fox News Digital’s CJ Womack contributed to this report.
