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 matter 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.
Attempts to unload the aircraft failed, and a decision was made by Pentagon headquarters to deploy three replacement planes, the newspaper wrote.
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 completely destroyed by American fighter jets, the AP news agency reported.
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 pilot on Iranian soil before Iranian authorities could.
