CIA Deception Campaign Rescued U.S. Airman in Iran

Clear Facts

• The CIA reportedly misled Iranian forces about the rescue route.
• Officials used Iranian communication channels to spread false information.
• A U.S. F-15 Weapons System Officer survived behind enemy lines for 36 hours.

Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman said a deception campaign likely helped divert Iranian forces during the recovery of a missing American airman.

The operation tracked enemy movements while feeding false intelligence to keep Iranian security units away from the extraction site.

Hoffman said the CIA monitored the airman’s location and Iranian security forces at the same time.

He said the agency also ran a deception operation to aid the rescue.

The airman relied on Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training to stay hidden for nearly two days in hostile territory.

Intelligence officers used known Iranian cyber vulnerabilities to establish credibility before launching the diversion.