CENTCOM commander directed strike against an IRGC headquarters in underground facility: sources

High-level sources person informed Fox News that during rescue efforts successful Iran aft a U.S. combatant pitchy was changeable down, the commandant of U.S. Central Command directed an onslaught against an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps office successful an underground facility.

While the airman rescue was going on, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper directed a onslaught connected an IRGC office successful an underground installation adjacent Tehran — it was done with B2 bombers, utilizing monolithic ordinance penetrators, the aforesaid limb utilized past twelvemonth successful Operation Midnight Hammer, according to the sources. Fox News is told the office was obliterated.

The US subject B1 bombers (BONES) dropped 100 of their 2,000-pound bombs during the rescue operations to support Iranians distant from the rescue country during the operation, according to a elder U.S. defence official.

A elder subject root told Fox News, "we delivered the heat" connected the IRGC.

RESCUE EXPERT SAYS MOST DANGEROUS MOMENT COMES AFTER ‘JACKPOT’ CALL IN RECOVERY BEHIND ENEMY LINES

Admiral Charles Bradford "Brad" Cooper II, Commander of US Central Command speaks during a associated property league with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, astatine US Central Command (CENTCOM) office astatine MacDill Air Force Base successful Tampa, Florida, connected March 5, 2026.  (Octavio JONES / AFP via Getty Images)

CENTCOM noted successful a property merchandise that U.S. forces had rescued 2 work members aft their F-15E was downed.

Fox News was told that the cognition took spot betwixt the 2 rescues: Cooper ordered the B2s to alert circular travel from Whiteman AFB successful the US due to the fact that they received time-sensitive quality astir the determination of a ample fig of IRGC commanders wrong this underground bunker successful Tehran, and the Massive Ordinance Penetrator bunker buster bombs were dropped by the B2 warplanes.

AIRMAN RESCUE SHOWS US CAN PENETRATE ENEMY TERRITORY ‘ANYWHERE’ IN IRAN, FORMER PENTAGON OFFICIAL WARNS

Wreckage is seen from what Iranian authorities accidental is simply a U.S. subject chopper that crashed during a ngo to rescue the missing American aviator of an F-15E that was downed, successful a handout representation provided connected April 5, 2026 successful an unspecified determination successful Iran. (Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance/Handout via Getty Images)

Following the rescues, President Donald Trump declared successful a Truth Social post, "We person rescued the earnestly wounded, and truly brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from heavy wrong the mountains of Iran. The Iranian Military was looking hard, successful large numbers, and getting close. He is simply a highly respected Colonel. This benignant of raid is seldom attempted due to the fact that of the information to 'man and equipment.' It conscionable doesn’t happen!" 

RETIRED F-16 PILOT SAYS RESCUED US AIRMAN'S SURVIVAL IN IRAN HIGHLIGHTS INTENSE EVASION TRAINING

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"The 2nd raid came aft the archetypal one, wherever we rescued the aviator successful wide daylight, besides unusual, spending 7 hours implicit Iran. An AMAZING amusement of bravery and endowment by all!" helium said.