US Aircraft Destroyed in Iran After Failed Rescue Mission, Tensions Escalate
In a remote desert area of Isfahan province, Iran, workers and army personnel were seen clearing the site where two US C-130 Hercules military transport planes and at least two helicopters lay destroyed. The incident occurred near the small farming community of Parzan, close to Shahreza, which had previously been untouched by the ongoing US-Israeli conflict.
Eyewitness Accounts of the Nighttime Attack
Local residents described a chaotic scene that unfolded after midnight. Amir, a farmer in his mid-50s whose name has been changed for security, reported hearing planes and helicopters circling overhead, followed by explosions. "My neighbour drove out to investigate but returned quickly after his car was attacked and damaged," he said. "That's when we called the police. For the rest of the night, explosions and heavy gunfire kept us awake." Another resident mentioned that a pickup truck carrying civilians was also attacked nearby, though all occupants survived.
Details of the Complex Rescue Operation
The destroyed aircraft were part of a two-day US rescue mission aimed at recovering two airmen from a downed F-15 fighter jet, which Iran had shot down two days earlier. According to US officials, the operation involved 155 aircraft, including bombers, fighters, refuelling tankers, and rescue planes. The US claimed that at least one of the C-130 planes became stuck and could not take off, leading to their destruction, and insisted they had not come under attack.
Iran's Conflicting Claims and Military Response
In contrast, Iran's Revolutionary Guards asserted that their forces destroyed the two C-130 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters during the operation. Military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated, "The so-called US military rescue operation, planned as a deception and escape mission at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft, was completely foiled." An unidentified Iranian military officer added that a colleague was killed while responding to reports of planes landing in the area.
Recovery Efforts and Escalating Threats
On Monday, recovery operations continued at the site, with cranes lifting heavy debris onto trucks and workers clearing smaller fragments scattered across the desert plain. Meanwhile, in Washington, former President Donald Trump escalated threats against Iran, warning of devastation if it did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Tuesday deadline. This incident highlights the volatile situation in the region, with both sides offering differing narratives on the events that led to the destruction of US aircraft.
