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Iran live updates: 2nd US airman rescued from Iran after F-15 shot down
Two U.S. jets and two helicopters were hit by Iranian fire on Friday.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.
Watch special coverage on Nightline, "War with Iran," each night on ABC and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
Key Headlines
- Apr 04, 2026, 11:57 PM PDT
- Apr 04, 2026, 11:02 PM PDT
- Apr 04, 2026, 9:45 PM PDT
- Apr 04, 2026, 9:13 PM PDT
Iran drone attacks spark fires at Bahrain energy facilities
Bapco Energies said on Sunday that an Iranian drone attack caused a fire at one of its storage facilities in Bahrain, according to a statement sent to ABC News' by Bahrain's National Communication Centre.
"The fire has been fully extinguished, and the situation is under control. Damages are currently being assessed and evaluated. No injuries have been reported," the statement said.
The Bahraini Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company also said that a number of its operational units were attacked by Iranian drones in the early hours of Sunday morning, causing "fires across the affected units," according to a report by the state-run Bahrain News Agency.
"All fires have since been fully extinguished and the situation is now under control," the statement said. The GPIC reported no casualties related to the incident.
Abu Dhabi authorities report fires at petrochemicals factory
The Abu Dhabi Media Office on Sunday reported "several fires" at the Borouge Petrochemicals Factory caused by what it said was falling debris "after a successful interception" of projectiles by air defense systems.
"Operations at the factory have been suspended immediately pending an assessment of the damage, no injuries have been recorded so far," the media office said in a post to X.
US forces destroyed 2 stuck C-130s during rescue mission, official says
Two C-130 aircraft that were part of the mission to rescue the second F-15 crew member became stuck at a location inside Iran during the operation, a U.S. official told ABC News.
U.S. forces deliberately destroyed the disabled aircraft so they would not fall into Iranian hands. As a result, additional replacement aircraft had to be flown into Iran to take the airman and the rescue teams out of the country, the official said.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
CIA played role in F-15 crew member rescue, administration official says
The CIA played a role in the rescue of the second F-15E crew member from Iranian territory, a senior administration official told ABC News.
Before the downed weapon systems officer (WSO) was located and rescued, the official said, the CIA "launched a deception campaign spreading word inside Iran that U.S. forces had already found him and were moving him on the ground for exfiltration out of the country."
"While the Iranians were confused and uncertain of what was happening, the agency used its unique, exquisite capabilities to search for -- and find -- the American," the official said. "This was the ultimate 'needle in a haystack,' but in this case it was a brave American soul inside a mountain crevice, invisible but for CIA's capabilities."
"The CIA immediately shared the WSO's exact location" with the Pentagon and White House, the official said.
"The president ordered an immediate rescue mission, which the DoW executed with boldness and precision, with CIA continuing to provide real time information," the official added.
-ABC News' Cindy Smith
IDF says it hit 120 air defense, missile targets in Iran over 24 hours
The Israel Defense Forces said in a post to X on Sunday that its air force attacked more than 120 Iranian air defense and missile systems over the previous 24 hours.
'WE GOT HIM!' Trump says after airman rescue from Iran
President Donald Trump, in a post on his social media platform, hailed the rescue of the second crew member from an F-15E fighter jet downed over Iran, calling it "one of the "most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History" and writing, "WE GOT HIM!"
In the post, Trump said the operation unfolded over several hours and involved dozens of aircraft. He said the rescued crew member, a weapon system officer, is a colonel who sustained injuries "but he will be just fine," Trump said, adding he is "SAFE and SOUND!"
The post provides some details about the roughly 48-hour ordeal.
"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, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue," Trump wrote.
Trump said the earlier rescue of the F-15E pilot was not confirmed on Friday to not jeopardize the rescue mission for the weapon system officer.
"This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory," Trump said in the post. "WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND!"
2nd US airman rescued from Iran after F-15 shot down
The second crew member aboard the F-15E shot down over Iran on Friday has been rescued by U.S. military forces who conducted a rescue mission earlier on Saturday night, two U.S. officials confirmed to ABC News.
The crewmember who was rescued was the weapon systems officer aboard the two-seater aircraft that was downed by Iranian fire on Friday, according to another U.S. official.
The pilot of the F-15E was rescued on Friday by U.S. search and rescue personnel.
Two Black Hawk helicopters that were part of the mission also took Iranian fire as they attempted the rescue mission on Friday. There were injuries to some of the crewmembers, but they were able to return to safety.
An A-10 Warthog aircraft that was providing close air support to the rescue mission was also hit by Iranian fire, but managed to make its way back to Kuwait where the pilot ejected safely before the plane crashed.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
Trump posts video of 'massive' strike, saying the attack killed 'Many of Iran’s Military Leaders'
President Donald Trump posted a video to social media on Saturday appearing to show what he called a "massive" strike on Tehran, Iran, with the president saying the attack terminated "Many of Iran's Military Leaders."
"Many of Iran's Military Leaders, who have led them poorly and unwisely, are terminated, along with much else, with this massive strike in Tehran!" Trump posted on social media along with the video.
Trump's post did not include any details about when the strikes happened or specific targets. ABC News has not independently verified the authenticity of the video.
The roughly minute-long video depicts a mostly dark view of what Trump said was Tehran, until a bright cloud appears with at least four explosions seconds apart.
This post comes as the president has not directly responded to Iran's attacks on U.S. aircraft on Friday.
-ABC News' Isabella Murray
IDF issues 'urgent warning' for Syrian-Lebanese border crossing area ahead of intended strikes
The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday night issued an "urgent warning" to anyone in the crossing area of the Syrian-Lebanese border, saying the army "intends to launch airstrikes on the crossing in the near future."
"For your safety, we urge all those near the crossing and anyone in the area marked in red on the map to evacuate immediately," the IDF said in the notice.
The IDF claims that Hezbollah uses the crossing "for military purposes and for smuggling weapons."
-ABC News' Ghazi Balkiz and Dana Savir
Iran offering $60,000 reward for 'invading American pilot'
Iranian merchants and trade groups are offering a reward of 10 billion tomans, about $60,000, for anyone who finds the "invading American pilot" from a warplane that crashed in Iran. Additional recognition has also been promised by authorities.
An Iranian official in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province, Iran, said a U.S. warplane has crashed in the area and that the pilot or pilots could be on the ground.
The provincial governor, Yadollah Rahmani, is calling on locals -- especially the tribal communities -- to report sightings and help detain them, saying capturing them alive is the priority.
-ABC News' Rashid Haddou and Britt Clennett
Netanyahu confirms Israel hit Iran's petrochemical factories
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces attacked Iran's petrochemical factories, in a video statement posted on X Saturday.
"After we destroyed 70% of their steel productions capability, which is the raw material used to build weapons used against us, we continued to attack their petrochemical plants," Netanyahu said. "These two things are their money making machine, used to fund their war of terror against us, and against the entire world."
Iran claims strike on 'Israel-linked' vessel in Hormuz
Iran hit an Israeli-linked ship, the MSC Ishyka, with a drone near the Strait of Hormuz -- claiming it caught fire, the IRGC said Saturday.
The exact location of the vessel is unclear. ABC News has not independently confirmed the attack.
A crew member aboard another one of the stranded Mediterranean Shipping Company vessels told ABC News that multiple MSC ships are stuck in/around Hormuz, with the Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched off on Ishyka.
The source said that MSC has operational ties with Israeli ZIM Integrated Shipping Services. ZIM announced a long-term operational cooperation with MSC. The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center and ZIM have not commented on the alleged attack.
Meanwhile, India's government said one liquefied petroleum gas tanker made it through the strait, but 17 Indian vessels remain in the Gulf with approximately 460 crew onboard.
-ABC News' Dada Jovanovic
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