The repercussions of the downing of an American F-15 plane over Iran did not end with the rescue of its crew, as the file moved to the Pentagon amid controversy over forcing the pilots to appear in front of the camera, and fears of disclosing confidential details about the rescue operation.
CNN reported, citing several informed sources, that the office of US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth pushed for the participation of the two crew members of the plane, which was shot down over Iran last April, in a report for the “60 Minutes” program covering their rescue operation, which is scheduled to be broadcast on Sunday.
According to three sources who spoke to the network, the two pilots initially expressed reservations about conducting the interview, and one of them even expressed his fears that he might be asked to participate in the report. At the same time, military officials expressed concern about the possibility of disclosing confidential details related to the rescue operation.
Two sources said that political officials appointed to Hegseth’s office insisted that the two crew members be interviewed for the report.
After the two survivors expressed their concerns, Hegseth met with them alone and asked them if they wanted to participate, rather than forcing them to cooperate, according to the sources.
As a result, one of the pilots, called “Bravo,” agreed to appear on camera and talk about his experience, while the other pilot, known as “Alpha,” declined to participate in the “60 Minutes” report.
The US Department of War did not announce the identities of the two crew members, and CNN was unable to independently determine their identities to request comment from them.
According to the network, the case highlights the way Hegseth’s office works to shape the narrative surrounding the war on Iran, which has become increasingly popular, which has put pressure on the minister to demand “victory.”
It also shows the extent of the direct and unusual role that Hegseth played in these efforts, by participating in the planning of the “60 Minutes” interview to a degree far beyond what is usual for a Secretary of War.
On the other hand, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell denied what was contained in the CNN report, saying: “This entire story is a complete lie.”
Parnell added that the decision to participate in the interview was made by each pilot individually, because it was his story, noting that one of them decided to appear while the other declined.
He stressed that the Ministry took great care to ensure the protection of operational security, sources and methods, considering that suggesting otherwise represents a derogation from the right of every member of the army who participated in or supported the interview.
Sunday’s episode was promoted as an insider’s account of the details of the American rescue operation that took two F-15 crew members out of Iran.
