Iran War

CIA Used Top-Secret Tech to Locate Downed US Aviator in Iran, Director Says

Finding the injured U.S. service member was like finding a needle in a haystack, President Donald Trump said.
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CIA Used Top-Secret Tech to Locate Downed US Aviator in Iran, Director Says
CIA Director John Ratcliffe speaks about the conflict in Iran in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 6, 2026. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Troy Myers
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CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a press briefing on April 6 that the agency used classified capabilities over the weekend to locate and rescue a U.S. weapons system officer who was shot down deep behind enemy lines in Iran.

Although he said he could not discuss these methods in detail, Ratcliffe explained that the CIA has “unique” capabilities, which only President Donald Trump can deploy.

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Troy Myers
Troy Myers
Author
Troy Myers is a regional reporter based in St. Augustine, Florida. His background includes breaking, criminal justice, and investigative writing for local news, producing on a national morning newscast in Washington, D.C., and working with an award-winning, weekly investigative news program. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his dog at the beach.