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Iran released images and video Sunday showing the charred wreckage of a U.S. military aircraft destroyed at a Forward Operating Base (FOB) inside Iran during the rescue of a downed F-15E crew member.
Footage confirms the destruction of at least two C-130 transport planes and one MH-6 Little Bird special operations helicopter, all destroyed by American forces to prevent their technology from falling into Iranian hands, while Tehran claims the Iranian forces have destroyed them.
Iran's Tasnim and Fars news agencies published multiple sets of images and video from the wreckage site in southern Isfahan province under the headline "Tabas has been repeated," referring to the botched 1980 Operation Eagle Claw hostage rescue in which eight U.S. service members were killed when aircraft collided in the Iranian desert.
Open-source analysts examining the released footage confirmed the wreckage was consistent with U.S. Air Force MC-130J "Commando II" special operations aircraft, specially equipped planes used to carry out covert infiltrations and extract troops from behind enemy lines.
At least one MH-6 Little Bird helicopter, a lightweight special operations aircraft used by elite commando units, was also visible in the debris field, with its tail boom tossed from the main wreckage.
Analysts noted that multiple MC-130J airframes had been tracked heading into the CENTCOM area of operations over the preceding three months.
U.S. officials had confirmed earlier that two transport planes became stuck at a remote base during the rescue operation and were deliberately destroyed on commanders' orders.
Three replacement aircraft were flown in to extract all personnel.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the disabled aircraft were two MC-130Js. Fox News said at least one aircraft, possibly a C-130 Hercules, had become "stuck in the mud."
Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted an image from the wreckage site on X with a pointed message: "If the United States gets three more victories like this, it will be utterly ruined."
The IRGC's public affairs office said, "Trump the gambler, the God of the sands of Tabas is still here."
It accused Trump of fabricating a successful rescue to conceal "a heavy defeat."
Iran's armed forces have claimed they shot down the aircraft, including two Black Hawk helicopters and the C-130, in a joint operation involving the IRGC, army, Basij, and police commandos.
The United States has said the rescue succeeded and all personnel exited Iran safely, with the downed colonel now receiving medical treatment in Kuwait.
The U.S. and Israel have maintained an air offensive on Iran since Feb. 28, striking over 12,300 targets. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes across the region.
The F-15E shot down Friday was the first U.S. fighter jet lost to enemy fire in over 20 years.
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