The presented footage shows wreckage of aviation equipment, including fragments that may belong to a helicopter rotor, as well as parts resembling elements of a transport aircraft engine. However, these images do not allow for a precise determination of which specific equipment was destroyed and under what circumstances.
Earlier, Tasnim reported, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that two helicopters and a C-130 transport aircraft were destroyed as a result of the U.S. rescue operation. However, Reuters conveys this only as a statement from the Iranian side, without providing independent confirmation.
On the other hand, Western media express different considerations. For example, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. military forces themselves destroyed two MC-130J aircraft on the ground to prevent them from falling into enemy hands; helicopters were not mentioned in this context.
According to Reuters and AP, the operation to rescue the second F-15E pilot took place deep within Iranian territory and was accompanied by combat actions. The American side confirmed the successful evacuation of the pilot but did not confirm the information about the loss of helicopters or the transport aircraft, as claimed by the Iranian side.
