From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 5, 2026
Iran says abandoned Isfahan-area airport used in ‘foiled’ rescue operation
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
Iran’s military says the US operation to rescue a missing airman from a downed American fighter jet used an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan province.
“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,” says Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for the military’s central command, Khatam Al-Anbiya.
He adds that “two C-130 military transport planes and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed” during the operation.
On social media, Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf presents the rescue of a US airman who had been shot down on Friday as a pyrrhic win for America.
If the United States gets three more victories like this, it will be utterly ruined. ???? pic.twitter.com/jutDghVrjz
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 5, 2026
According to The New York Times, the planes were blown up by the US to keep them from Iran’s forces after issues getting them off the ground.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the planes were MC-130Js, specially equipped transport aircraft meant for covert insertion and extraction missions. Each costs over $100 million, the paper reports.
The Times of Israel Community.