The US F-15 fighter jet's second crew member, a weapons systems officer, was rescued after ejecting over Iran. The airman radioed three words while ejecting: 'God is good.'
President Donald Trump called the unidentified airman a 'brave warrior' in a Truth Social post.
The airman remained missing for nearly 48 hours, hiding in a mountain crevice with a handgun to protect himself.
US officials initially suspected the airman might have been taken prisoner by Iran and were sending false signals to set up a trap.
A CIA disinformation effort was launched to tell Iranians that American forces had already located the airman and were conducting a ground exfiltration.
The CIA's capabilities helped locate the airman in a high-risk rescue mission, and President Trump authorized an emergency rescue operation.
