U.S. President Donald Trump stated shortly after midnight on Sunday that the American military recovered a “highly respected colonel” who is “safe and sound” from behind enemy lines in Iran.
“We got him! My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States military pulled off one of the most daring search and rescue operations in U.S. history for one of our incredible crew member officers, who also happens to be a highly respected colonel,” the president wrote.

Trump said he was “thrilled” to say that the colonel is “now safe and sound” and that the “brave warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour.”

The colonel was “never truly alone because his commander-in-chief, secretary of war, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and fellow war fighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day and diligently planning for his rescue,” Trump stated.