US special forces launched a high-stakes raid into Iran on Sunday to rescue an injured airman left stranded in a remote mountainous region after his aircraft was shot down two days earlier.
Details have emerged about how the US raced against the clock and advancing Iranian operatives to find the officer deep inside hostile territory.
The airman's ordeal began on Friday when an F-15E Strike Eagle jet was shot down over south-western Iran - the first incident of its kind in more than 20 years.
The two US military personnel on board ejected, and while the pilot was rescued the same day, the second crew member - a weapons operator - became separated and remained stranded in a sparsely populated, rugged region.
While US aircraft were seen flying low over the area on Saturday, Iran offered a bounty of £50,000 ($66,100) to anyone who found him alive.
The airman managed to hide in a mountain crevice, limiting his beacon signal out of fear it could be picked up by Iranian forces. Meanwhile, the CIA monitored his location 24 hours a day.
Before the highly coordinated rescue mission, the Pentagon was informed of the airman's location, and deception strategies were employed to prevent Iranian forces from closing in.
With 155 aircraft, including bombers and fighters, involved in the operation, Navy Seals were eventually airdropped to recover the airman amid ongoing strikes to deter Iranian troops.
The mission faced obstacles, including two planes becoming bogged down and having to be destroyed to prevent them from being captured.
Ultimately, the operation was a success, and the injured airman was evacuated to Kuwait for medical treatment.
