A U.S. military rescue operation in Iran over the weekend saved an injured airman whose F-15E strike fighter was shot down—the first American combat plane lost in the five-week air campaign. National security correspondent Eric Schmitt breaks down how the Pentagon executed this complex mission using deception, special operations teams, and strategic air support, and explains why both the U.S. and Iran are claiming victory despite deepening military and diplomatic tensions. The airman climbed a 7,000-foot mountain ridge despite injuries and hid in a crevice while CIA drones located him and the military assembled a massive rescue operation involving dozens of aircraft and SEAL Team Six. Both the U.S. and Iran are portraying the mission as proof of their military superiority—America's operational skill versus Iran's continued ability to shoot down planes and fire 15-30 ballistic missiles daily.