U.S. DECEPTION CAMPAIGN: The CIA leaked through multiple sources that they were trying to move a valuable package out of the country through a maritime exfil, I'm told by a senior U.S. official.
This was meant to draw the Iranians away from the area where the U.S. crew member was located. The deception campaign worked.
Details about the rescue op for the U.S. Weapon Systems Officer, via a U.S. military official:
"The mountain top area on the left is where the WSO was hiding (he ejected 5ish miles northwest of there). The right area is the makeshift landing strip where they landed 2 C-130s and had 4 MH-6 Little Birds.
"One Little Bird flew to that mountain top area and rescued the WSO and brought him back to the landing strip. And of course the two C-130s' nose gears got stuck in the dirt. So after a few hours they had to bring in three AFSOC Dash-8s to fly out the rescued WSO and the 100 or so personnel involved in the op." 1/2