Donald Trump said on Sunday that United States forces had successfully recovered a second airman who had been shot down in Iran, describing the mission as “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History.”
The development came amid escalating hostilities across the Middle East, with Iran launching missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and Kuwait earlier in the day.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the conditions faced by the rescued serviceman.
“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies,” Trump said.
“He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine. This miraculous Search and Rescue Operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave Pilot, yesterday, which we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation.”
The announcement followed heightened tensions after Trump warned Iran it had 48 hours to negotiate or face severe consequences.
The broader conflict, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, has since expanded across the region, disrupting global markets and threatening key energy routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces continue to exert control over the strategic waterway while targeting economic infrastructure in Gulf states seen as aligned with Washington and Tel Aviv.
Economic retaliation has also intensified. On Saturday, strikes attributed to U.S. or Israeli forces hit a petrochemical facility in southwestern Iran, killing five people, according to officials in Khuzestan province. Trump reiterated his warning in a separate post, referencing an earlier ultimatum. “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” he wrote. “Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them.”
Iran’s military leadership dismissed the threat, with General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi condemning Trump’s remarks as a “helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action.” He added a stark warning in response: “the gates of hell will open for you.”
Air defence systems were activated in both Israel and Kuwait on Sunday in response to fresh Iranian attacks. The United Arab Emirates also reported intercepting missiles aimed at its aluminium sector, while authorities in Bahrain confirmed a refinery fire they attributed to Iranian aggression.
Tensions further escalated following a strike near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility on Saturday, which left a security guard dead. Russia, involved in constructing and operating the plant, announced the evacuation of 198 personnel and condemned the attack as “an evil deed.” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that continued strikes on the site could trigger radioactive fallout that would “end life in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) capitals, not Tehran,” noting the plant’s proximity to neighboring Gulf states.
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said no radiation increase had been detected but expressed “deep concern” over what he described as the fourth attack on the facility in recent weeks. Former IAEA chief Mohamed El-Baradei also weighed in, urging Gulf governments to intervene diplomatically.
“To the Gulf governments: Please, once again, do everything in your power before this madman turns the region into a ball of fire,” he wrote on X.
Strikes across the region have increasingly focused on industrial and economic infrastructure, raising alarms about potential disruptions to global energy supplies. On Saturday, U.S.-Israeli operations reportedly hit a petrochemical complex, a cement factory, and a trade terminal along the Iran-Iraq border, where at least one fatality was recorded.
Iran has continued its counteroffensive with missile and drone strikes against Israel and U.S.-aligned nations in the Gulf. In Bahrain, debris from intercepted drones injured four people, while in Dubai, falling fragments struck two buildings, including one housing facilities linked to the U.S. technology company Oracle Corporation.
Elsewhere, the Israeli military reported carrying out more than 3,500 strikes in Lebanon over the past month, targeting positions linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah. As tensions mounted, Israel issued evacuation warnings late Saturday for areas near a Syria-Lebanon border crossing ahead of planned operations.
Amid the ongoing violence, protests also emerged. In Tel Aviv, hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets, calling for an end to the war and urging leaders to pursue diplomatic negotiations.
