Rescue Day : “WE GOT HIM!” — Delta Force Rescues US Airman Deep Inside Iran.

WE GOT HIM!” — The Most Daring US Military Rescue Since the Vietnam War

In the early hours of Sunday, President Trump announced on social media that the US military had successfully pulled off one of the most dangerous rescue operations in American history. CNN has the full inside account: the US Air Force weapons systems officer — an Air Force colonel — had been hiding alone in a mountain crevice in Iran’s Zagros Mountains at 7,000 feet above sea level for more than 24 hours after his F-15E jet was shot down on Friday.

He survived and evaded Iranian forces with nothing but a pistol, a communication device and a tracking beacon. Iranian tribesmen and IRGC forces were both closing in on him. Iran was offering a large cash reward for his capture.

What happened next was extraordinary. The CIA ran a deception campaign inside Iran — planting false information that both crew members had already been rescued, to confuse IRGC soldiers hunting for him. Meanwhile, hundreds of US military and intelligence personnel assembled a rescue operation, including the elite Army Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team Six. US attack planes dropped bombs along the approach roads to keep Iranian convoys away.

The airman was extracted from the mountains. During the operation, two C-130 transport aircraft became damaged and had to be deliberately blown up by US forces to stop them falling into Iranian hands. Two Black Hawk helicopters were hit by small arms fire but stayed airborne. Trump said it was “the first time in military memory that two US pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in enemy territory.” PBS NewsHour confirmed the rescue was complete and both crew members are safe.

“WE GOT HIM! Over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US History.” — President Donald Trump, Truth Social, April 6, 2026

But Trump Immediately Set a NEW Deadline — Tuesday, 8 PM

Any hope that the successful rescue might soften the mood was quickly erased. CBS News reports that within hours of announcing the rescue, Trump posted a new, stark message on social media: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” He told the Wall Street Journal that if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening, they “won’t have any power plants and they won’t have any bridges standing.” He told Axios: “If they don’t make a deal, I am blowing up everything over there.”

The original April 6 deadline appears to have been moved back by one day — technically because the successful rescue operation required America to go quiet for over 24 hours to protect the mission. CNN confirms Trump repeated in phone interviews on Monday that he plans to take action on Tuesday if no deal is reached.

Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt’s mediators are still scrambling to bring the two sides to the table before Tuesday’s deadline. CBS News reports that Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi signalled over the weekend that Iran is willing to participate in talks — but Iran has attached conditions that remain far from what Washington will accept. The diplomatic clock is ticking with just one day left.

Iran Missile Hits 7-Story Apartment Building in Haifa — 4 People Buried

Even as the rescue drama was unfolding, Iran kept firing. Times of Israel reports that an Iranian ballistic missile struck a seven-story residential building in Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city, on Sunday night. The building took a direct hit, collapsing several floors. At least nine people were taken to hospital.

Four people were still missing and feared trapped under the rubble as rescue teams worked through the night using advanced equipment and search dogs. Israel’s air defences attempted to intercept the missile but failed, and the Israeli Air Force launched an investigation into why the intercept did not succeed. Netanyahu phoned Trump to congratulate him on the rescue mission — and Israel confirmed it had provided intelligence support and paused some of its own strikes to avoid disrupting the US rescue operation.

Kuwait’s Power and Water Plants Hit — Civilian Infrastructure Under Attack

CBS News confirms that Iranian drones struck two of Kuwait’s power and water desalination plants on Sunday, causing “significant material damage” and shutting down two electricity generating units. The attack had no reported deaths or injuries, but the targeting of power and water facilities in Kuwait is a direct warning of what Iran says it will do across the Gulf if Trump strikes Iran’s own power plants. Kuwait’s government building in Kuwait City was also damaged in a separate drone attack on Saturday night.

The UAE reported on the same day that its air defences had intercepted 23 Iranian ballistic missiles and 56 drones. Since the war began, UAE air defences have shot down nearly 500 ballistic missiles, 23 cruise missiles and over 2,100 drones — among the most sustained anti-missile campaigns in history.

India Buys Oil from Iran for First Time in Years

In a significant economic development, CNN reports that India purchased oil from Iran for the first time in several years, as confirmed by India’s oil and natural gas ministry. The purchase signals that countries in Asia are quietly finding ways to keep energy flowing through back channels even as Western sanctions and the war disrupt normal trade. Iran has consistently said its “friendly” nations — including India, China and Russia — can receive oil. India’s move is politically significant: it shows that even Washington’s most important Asian ally is prioritising its own energy security over full solidarity with the US position on Iran.

Iran Calls Trump’s Threats “Helpless and Nervous” — Rejects New Deadline

Al Jazeera reports that Iran has described Trump’s latest threats and the new Tuesday deadline as the behaviour of a “helpless and nervous” president. Iran’s foreign ministry said Trump’s ultimatum to bomb power plants shows he is trying to “drag the region into a bigger catastrophe.” Iran’s UN mission said the threats reveal that the US is seeking to “commit war crimes.” Iranian military commanders warned again that any strike on civilian power and water infrastructure will be met with an even stronger response against equivalent Gulf targets. The IRGC separately vowed the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to “enemies of Iran” regardless of what deadline the US sets.

Lebanon: Israeli Forces Move to Close Lebanese Border — 1,460 Killed

CNN reports that Israel has moved to close a key border crossing between Syria and Lebanon after the military issued an evacuation order ahead of planned airstrikes. The Lebanese health ministry confirmed that more than 1,460 people have now been killed in Lebanon since the Israeli military campaign against Hezbollah began in March.

Some Israeli far-right lawmakers are demanding a permanent “new security border” deep inside Lebanon — a proposal that would effectively involve the permanent displacement of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians. The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is described as worsening by the day.

Today is the day the world has been counting down to for ten days. Trump’s original April 6 deadline has now technically been pushed to Tuesday — but the situation on the ground is more dangerous than at any point in this five-week war. Two brave American airmen are home safely. But the power plants, the bridges, the water plants and the people of Iran all hang in the balance tonight. Everything that happens in the next 36 hours may shape the Middle East — and the global economy — for years to come. Stay with WorldWire for live updates all day long.

Sources

CNNCNN — RescueCBS NewsCBS News — DeadlinePBS NewsHourTimes of IsraelAl JazeeraTIMECNN — Week 6WikipediaReutersNPR

All reporting verified from CNN, CBS News, PBS NewsHour, Times of Israel, Al Jazeera, TIME, Reuters & Wikipedia · April 6, 2026

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