Defiant Iran ramps up attacks after Trump’s expletive-laced warning

US AIRMAN RESCUE

The New York Times reported that the rescued US airman, a weapons systems officer, was equipped with a pistol, a beacon and a secure communications device to coordinate with rescuers.

Two of the aircraft meant to transport him and his rescuers to safety were stuck inside Iran and had to be destroyed to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands, The Times and CBS reported.

US forces used three other planes to carry out the airman and his rescuers, reports said.

Iran’s military said it destroyed four US aircraft involved in the operation, which it said used an abandoned airport.

Iranian media reported five people were killed in strikes during the operation.

Footage released by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was presented as showing charred, smoking wreckage of an American aircraft scattered across a desert area.

Iran claims it downed the fighter jet and the crew ejected, while US media reported only the plane was shot down. Washington has not confirmed what caused the plane to come down.

Gulf nations reported a wave of fresh strikes from Sunday to Monday, with Kuwait saying it was working to intercept a barrage of missiles and drones fired towards the territory.

The United Arab Emirates also said on Monday that its air defences were responding to a missile and drone attack.

It came after UAE authorities in Sharjah said they were dealing with an “incident” in the key port of Khor Fakkan following an Iranian strike.

Israel’s army also said Monday it had identified a fresh wave of missiles launched from Iran towards the country.

UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash warned Iran that targeting its Arab neighbours “will actually concretise the American role” adding the UAE was ready to “join any American-led effort, international effort to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.