The US military has rescued a missing crew member in a dramatic night-time mission after his fighter jet was shot down in a remote part of Iran. The exact circumstances remain unclear, but the operation to extract him from the ground in hostile territory was hugely complex. Hundreds of special forces, as well as dozens of US fighter jets and helicopters, were involved in the plan, along with the CIA. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said on social media: We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran. The airman's ordeal began on Friday with reports that an F-15 jet, which was carrying a weapons systems officer and a pilot, had been shot down over southern Iran. The incident was the first US fighter jet to be shot down by enemy fire in more than 20 years. The two US military personnel on board the F-15E Strike Eagle managed to eject from the aircraft, and the pilot was rescued the same day, but the second crew member was missing. The US then began a race against time to locate him. Iran made it clear they wished to capture him alive and offered a bounty of £50,000 ($66,100). Videos shared on social media, which have not been verified, appeared to show armed civilians searching for him. Once on the ground, he had only a handgun to defend himself. Reports indicate that the airman hid in a mountain crevice and cautiously restricted the use of his beacon signal, fearful that the signal could be detected by Iranian forces. The CIA played a crucial role in the rescue, tracking the airman’s location and passing this information to the Pentagon. Trump's social media post noted the airman was monitored continuously as plans for his rescue unfolded. As special forces advanced to retrieve him, they deployed firepower to deter Iranian troops in the vicinity. The operation faced multiple challenges, including reports of US aircraft being targeted by Iranian defenses. Eventually, just before midnight US time, the airman was successfully rescued and flown to Kuwait for medical treatment. While Trump stated the officer was "seriously wounded," he reassured that "he will be just fine." Authorities have yet to disclose the airman’s identity or exact location during his rescue, emphasizing the operation's sensitive nature.