Israel’s Mossad and Military Helped Rescue Downed US Airman, Huckabee Says

The Israeli intelligence service Mossad and its military helped in the rescue of a downed American airman in Iran over the weekend, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Monday.

In a post on X, Huckabeee wrote that he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to thank the Israeli military “for unprecedented assistance to US Military & Intel agencies who conducted a historic rescue mission of our air crew in Iran.”

U.S. special forces “carried out a brilliant” operation in rescuing the American airman, he said, adding that the “IDF & Mossad were helpful partners in the mission,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.

In his April 6 post, Huckabee did not disclose how either the IDF or Mossad, also known as the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, assisted the U.S. recovery operation.

The United States rescued two aviators whose F-15E fighter jet was shot down by Iran. After plucking one pilot from behind enemy lines, rescuers began a complicated extraction of the second service member, who hid deep in the mountains as Tehran called for Iranians to help capture him.

“This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory,” President Donald Trump wrote early Sunday on his Truth Social platform, remarking on the second pilot’s rescue. “WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND!”

In several social media posts, Trump said the operation over the weekend required the U.S. government to remain completely silent to avoid jeopardizing the effort. No details were provided to the public before the second service member was rescued.

Trump added that the aviator was being “hunted down” by enemies who were “getting closer and closer by the hour.” The United States was monitoring his location continuously, he said.

“The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies,” the president wrote on social media.

On April 6, Trump said Iran’s regime is making a grave mistake by not capitulating to a warning he delivered on April 5, suggesting the country’s power plants and bridges will be struck if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening.

The waterway has been effectively shut down since the war started on Feb. 28. Oil and gas prices have increased significantly as Iran has fired missiles and drones at commercial vessels in the region.

Iranian officials said through state-run media that Tehran would not acquiesce to a U.S. cease-fire proposal, while another official said that ships that are deemed to be enemies of Tehran will be blocked from transiting the strait.

“They just don’t want to say ‘uncle,’” Trump told reporters at the White House Easter Egg Roll. “They don’t want to cry, as the expression goes, ‘uncle,’ but they will. And if they don’t, they’ll have no bridges. They’ll have no power plants. They’ll have no anything.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.