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Iran's armed forces claimed Sunday they shot down three U.S. aircraft, a C-130 military transport plane and two Black Hawk helicopters, during the American operation to rescue a downed F-15E crew member near Isfahan.
Tehran declared the mission a failure and compared it to the disastrous 1980 Operation Eagle Claw at Tabas.
The United States says the rescue succeeded and that both crew members are safe.
The spokesperson of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran's unified military command, said "enemy flying objects were destroyed" in a joint operation involving the IRGC's aerospace and ground forces, Basij, the army, and police commandos.
"The invading enemy aircraft in southern Isfahan, including two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport aircraft, were hit and are burning in the flames of the wrath of the heroic fighters of Islam," the statement said, according to Tasnim and Fars news agencies.
The IRGC drew a direct parallel to the failed 1980 U.S. hostage rescue mission Operation Eagle Claw, in which eight American service members were killed when aircraft collided in the Iranian desert at Tabas.
"Trump the gambler, the God of the sands of Tabas is still here," the IRGC statement said, adding that "America has once again suffered a disgraceful defeat like the Tabas operation."
The Revolutionary Guards accused Trump of fabricating a successful rescue to cover up what it called a "heavy defeat."
Iran's police command (FARAJA) separately claimed its commando unit, the Faraj Rangers, destroyed the C-130 with concentrated fire in southern Isfahan.
Fars News Agency described the aircraft as a refueling plane supporting "the evil invaders of the sacred land of the homeland."
Iran's state television broadcast images of an aircraft and a long-distance shot of dark smoke rising from a desert area.
Iran's army also claimed it had downed an Israeli MQ-9 Reaper drone over Isfahan province on Sunday, with the IRGC saying the drone was shot down by aerospace force air defenses.
U.S. and media reports present a different account.
The Wall Street Journal reported that two MC-130J special operations aircraft became stuck during the rescue and were deliberately destroyed by U.S. forces to prevent capture.
The New York Times reported that commanders flew in three replacement aircraft to extract all personnel after the two planes were disabled.
Fox News reported that at least one aircraft, possibly a C-130 Hercules, became "stuck in the mud" and was destroyed on U.S. orders.
A person familiar with the operation told the Wall Street Journal that the rescued airman was protected by U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones, which struck Iranians who got close to him.
Fighters also intercepted suspected threats to the colonel.
The two accounts are not entirely contradictory; Iran may have struck aircraft that the U.S. then destroyed, or may be claiming credit for aircraft the U.S. demolished itself.
An Israeli military official confirmed to The Telegraph that Israel assisted the rescue operation.
"We did two things in the last 48 hours: We adjusted our strikes to make sure we didn't hit anywhere in the vicinity of American operations or where the pilots were. And the second thing is, assist with intelligence," the official said.
Fox News also confirmed Israeli officials shared information with the U.S. throughout the operation and that the Israeli military helped halt Iranian air strikes in the area during the 36-hour mission.
Trump announced the rescue on Truth Social, saying both crew members were recovered "without a single American killed, or even wounded."
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