The high-profile operation - in which a downed American pilot was rescued after hiding in Iran for more than a day - became unexpectedly complicated.
Two US MC-130 transport planes became stuck in the sandy mountainous terrain of the Isfahan region, a source with knowledge of the situation told The New York Times. The planes were supposed to take the pilot and special forces to an airfield in Kuwait, but were unable to take off. Three replacement planes were then deployed, the newspaper reported.
With the risk that Iran would gain access to US military equipment and highly sensitive information, the abandoned transport planes and two military helicopters were destroyed by US fighter jets, the AP reported.
Iran's Foreign Ministry suggested in a statement on Monday that the operation was a "deceptive operation" whose real purpose was to steal Iran's enriched uranium, the AFP reported. Iran's military claims that the US transport planes were fired upon and were therefore forced to make an emergency landing in Isfahan.
US President Donald Trump has described the operation as successful and is expected to make further comments at a press conference later on Monday.
It was on Good Friday that an American F-15E fighter jet was shot down. Two fighter pilots ejected from the plane, but one of them could not initially be located. A risky rescue operation was launched to find the American pilot on Iranian soil before Iranian authorities could.
