President Donald Trump lauded the successful rescue operation of two downed US Air Force service members and warned that Iran's entire country may be 'taken out' on Tuesday night.
'So in a breathtaking show of skill and precision, lethality and force, America's military descended on the area ... engaged the enemy, rescued the stranded officer, destroyed all threats and exited Iranian while taking no casualties of any kind,' the President said Monday afternoon in the White House briefing room, flanked by top officials.
He held the press conference on the Iran war shortly after attending the White House Easter Egg Roll during which he celebrated about the heroic rescue mission of two US Air Force service members who were downed in Iran.
'He scaled cliff faces, bleeding rather profusely, contacted his platoon, treated his own wounds and contacted American forces,' Trump said of the weapons systems officer (WSO) that was rescued on Sunday.
The pilot was previously rescued by special forces on Friday, the day the F-15E was downed.
Trump described an all-hands-on-deck operation that employed 155 aircraft - including 64 fighter jets, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft 'and more.'
The President noted how the weapons systems officer was able to activate a 'beeper' that showed US forces where to search for him, leading to the airman's rescue and likely saving the soldier's life. 'It was like finding a needle in a haystack,' Trump said.
The WSO was on the ground deep behind enemy lines for nearly 48 hours, going down on Good Friday and not being rescued until Easter Sunday.
'God was watching us,' the President said. 'We were in Easter territory,' he remarked.
President Donald Trump lauded the operation to rescue two downed US service members in Iran over the weekend. 'God was watching us,' Trump said of the miraculous operation
Trump warned that the entire country of Iran could be 'taken out' in one night, adding that it could be on Tuesday
Press packed the room waiting with baited breath to hear from the President about the operation
The downed airman first contacted his US counterparts by radioing in: 'God is good,' Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recounted, adding 'we leave no man behind.'
The callsign of the plane was 'Dude 44,' Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine said, and a horde of aircraft were sent in within hours to rescue the pilot.
Caine celebrated the swift recovery of the pilot on Friday and the immense planning that went in to rescue the SWO.
Caine noted that a special operations force fought their way into save the downed SWO early on Sunday morning, even into the morning light.
'We will always bring overwhelming skill and firepower,' the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs added.
Trump also chided an unnamed media outlet for reporting that there was a pilot that survived the crash, tipping of Iranians that there was a target they could chase.
'We have to find that leaker, because that's a sick person. Probably didn't realize the extent of how bad it was. I can't imagine that person did, but we're going to find out.'
'It's national security and the person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn't say and that doesn't last long,' the President added.
Trump also threatened to unleash hell on Iran on Tuesday should it not strike a deal with the US to avoid further destruction.
'The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,' the President said, adding fuel to his previous threat that he'd target Iran's infrastructure.
This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated.