The Daily – "A Daring Rescue Behind Enemy Lines"

Date: April 7, 2026
Host: Rachel Abrams
Guest: Eric Schmitt, NYT National Security Correspondent

Overview:

This episode dissects a dramatic rescue mission conducted by the US military behind enemy lines in Iran. The focus is on how the US retrieved an injured airman after his F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down—a mission that blended real-world danger, high-stakes politics, and intricate deception. Eric Schmitt offers context on the ongoing US-Israel campaign against Iran, the operation’s execution, and what it reveals about the current stage of the war and its uncertain trajectory.

Setting the Stage: Escalating Conflict and a Downed US Plane

[01:23 - 03:03]

• The US and Israel have been engaged in a protracted air campaign against Iran for over five weeks, escalating regional instability, spiking gas prices, and straining public support in the US.
• Initial military messaging boasted “air dominance” over Iran, raising public expectations of US invulnerability.
• All changed Friday morning: an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran—the first US plane lost in the conflict.
  • Schmitt: “We’ve been hearing from the administration… they can fly just about any mission. Then suddenly we hear about this F15E getting shot down.” (02:18)

The Airmen’s Plight and The Search & Rescue

[03:03 - 06:45]

• The F-15E crew (pilot and weapons systems officer, both experienced) ejected over rugged terrain, possibly miles apart due to parachute drift.
• US rescue teams quickly located and extracted the pilot under fire within about 6 hours.
• The weapons systems officer remained missing—no contact for hours.
  • Abrams: “They don’t know if he’s injured, they don’t know if he’s dead, they don’t know that he’s captured, they don’t know anything.” (04:23)
• The missing officer, despite injuries, managed to climb a 7,000-foot ridgeline and hide in a mountain crevice to avoid detection.
  • Schmitt: “…even though he’s kind of bloodied and injured. He makes it up to the top of this ridgeline, he finds a crevice to hide in.” (04:46)

The Race: CIA Involvement, Iranian Bounty, Deception

[05:07 - 09:42]

• The US, with CIA assistance, utilized advanced surveillance (potentially drones) and beacon technology to locate the trapped airman.
  • Simultaneously, the airman surfaced briefly to signal his position with an encrypted beacon. (05:53)
• Stakes were immense; US doctrine demands “no one left behind,” while Iran sought propaganda value and leverage.
  • Schmitt: “The Iranian regime put a huge bounty out for anybody who could help locate the airman…as much as $60,000.” (06:29)
• A covert CIA campaign spread deliberate misinformation about the airman’s location to confuse Iranian forces and buy time.
• The US launched a massive rescue involving Seal Team 6 and specialized aircraft/helicopters.

Notable Quote:

“They come up with a deception plan…CIA…starts putting out word covertly that they’ve already recovered this guy…all to buy time for this big rescue force that now knows where the guy is hiding.” – Eric Schmitt (07:35)

The Rescue: Success, Setbacks, and a Narrow Escape

[09:42 - 12:23]

• Under cover of darkness, US forces flew special aircraft equipped with compact helicopters to the mountainous area.
• The team located and recovered the airman under fire, but the extraction met a logistical snag: the C-130s’ nose gear became stuck in wet dirt, immobilizing the planes.
  • Abrams: “They’re physically stuck. They can’t move it.” (09:42)
• Forced to “Plan B,” the US bombed the area to keep enemies at bay until new planes arrived.
• The stranded team and rescued airman finally extracted after hours, but sensitive equipment and aircraft had to be destroyed on-site to prevent Iranian capture.
  • “The last thing they do…the military does is…destroy these aircraft…because they’ve got all this sensitive technology.” – Schmitt (11:28)

Political Fallout: Competing Narratives and Ongoing Conflict

[12:30 - 15:28]

• President Trump celebrated the operation in a White House press conference:
  • “We’re here today to celebrate the success of one of the largest, most complex, most harrowing combat searches... ever attempted.”
  • “Only the American military could have pulled off such an amazing rescue…exited Iranian territory while taking no casualties.” (11:57)
• Despite the tactical victory, Iran sees gains: shooting down a US plane, exposing limits to US air superiority, and maintaining ballistic/drone capacity.
  • Schmitt: “They were successful in shooting down the first American combat plane…demonstrate that the Americans don’t fully control the airspace.” (14:19)

Strategic and Diplomatic Consequences

[15:28 - 19:48]

• The US has degraded Iran’s forces, but Iran’s continued missile/drone attacks and the closed Strait of Hormuz keep pressure on global economics and regional security.
• Political and strategic US objectives remain unfulfilled, with the president offering vague or contradictory endgame explanations.
• President Trump, emboldened by the rescue, threatens massive escalation absent Iranian capitulation.
  • “The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night…threatening to bomb bridges and power plants…if they don’t come to the bargaining table…” – Schmitt (16:20)
• Iran submitted a 10-point proposal aiming at sanctions relief and passage protocols, but diplomacy remains uncertain.
  • “Much of this is still unclear. And a lot of experts…still believe that negotiations are a long ways off.” – Schmitt (17:56)

The Bigger Picture: Cinematic Drama vs. Unfinished Business

[19:48 - 21:30]

• The administration is using the rescue for its narrative value amid lagging domestic war support, hoping to spotlight American heroism, skill, and technology.
• Underlying problems persist: the Straits of Hormuz remain closed, economic hardships rise, Iran maintains leverage, and fundamental issues like “hundreds of pounds of highly enriched uranium” remain unresolved.
  • “Even with this very successful rescue of these two airmen…administration is still left with a lot of really difficult problems to address.” – Schmitt (21:11)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “You could not have handed the White House a better narrative than this one. This unbelievably heroic story…could have been ripped from a movie.” – Rachel Abrams (19:48)

• “It feels like this rescue mission, this victory...has almost emboldened him [President Trump] in some way just listening to some of these threats.” – Rachel Abrams (16:35)

• “The Iranians still believe they are in the driver’s seat right now…By being able to shoot down an American warplane…they’ve demonstrated even though they’re badly degraded…they still can launch a punch every now and then.” – Eric Schmitt (19:26)

Key Timestamps

• 01:23 — Introduction; context and set-up for the rescue mission
• 02:18 — American warplane shot down, shattering the narrative of air dominance
• 04:46 — Airman’s grueling escape and mountain hideout
• 06:29 — Iranian bounty and the race to find the airman
• 07:35 — CIA-led deception campaign
• 09:42 — Extraction drama: stuck planes and Plan B
• 11:28 — Destroying classified tech on-site
• 12:30 — White House press conference; victory narrative
• 14:19 — Iranian perspective and ongoing military capacity
• 16:20 — Presidential threats of escalation
• 17:56 — Diplomatic proposal from Iran
• 19:48 — Domestic political narrative; ongoing strategic peril

Conclusion

While the rescue operation showcased American military prowess in a made-for-Hollywood mission, real strategic gains remain elusive. Both sides claim victories, but fundamental issues of regional conflict, nuclear risk, and economic hardship persist.

Episode Summary by The Daily | nytimes.com/podcasts