The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reportedly executed a “diversion operation” to confuse Iranian forces while US military personnel searched for two downed pilots in Iran, according to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Speaking at a White House press conference alongside President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Ratcliffe said the mission included “human and technical resources mobilized by the President” and a strategic CIA operation aimed at sowing confusion among Iranians tracking the pilots.
Trump added that over 170 military aircraft participated in the weekend rescue operation. The first mission involved 21 planes, while a second mobilized 155 aircraft, ultimately ensuring both pilots were safely recovered. Two military transport planes became stuck in the sand during the operation and were destroyed on site, Trump noted.
The President also threatened legal action against an unnamed US media outlet that allegedly leaked information about the missing pilot, claiming that the Iranian authorities only learned of the disappearance because of the leak. “We will find out who it was; this is national security. The person responsible will go to jail if they do not reveal their source,” Trump said.
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Over the weekend, US forces successfully rescued both Air Force pilots after their jet was shot down over Iranian territory. Earlier reports from outlets including The Washington Post and Axios, citing anonymous government sources, had confirmed the rescue of one pilot while the second remained missing. On Sunday, Trump confirmed that both pilots had been safely recovered, calling the operation “one of the boldest in history.”
