According to the British publication The Telegraph, U.S. Army special operations forces have entered Iranian territory to conduct a secret operation.
American special operations units have entered Iranian territory to conduct a search and rescue mission. The military is advancing deeper into the country in search of the navigator of an F-15E Strike Eagle, with whom contact was lost. This incident occurred after an American combat aircraft was shot down over Iran the day before.
According to official reports, the pilot of the fighter jet has been rescued — he is under the control of U.S. forces and receiving all necessary medical assistance. The fate of the second crew member, the navigator, had remained unknown until recently.
According to sources, the current special forces operation represents a significant escalation of the conflict and is likely the first instance since the onset of active hostilities in which American ground forces are officially conducting operations on Iranian territory.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the Iranian side is simultaneously conducting its own active search operations.
So far, U.S. officials have refrained from making detailed statements. For security reasons, no specific information about the mission, the number of special forces units involved, or their current location is being disclosed. Information about the navigator's condition and whether he has been located by search teams also remains classified.
Iran's air defense shot down the F-15E fighter jet of the U.S. Air Force, which had a pilot and a navigator on board. According to available data, both managed to eject. One of them was subsequently found by American military personnel, while the fate of the second remains unknown.
