In a final twist after the weapons officer was rescued, two transport planes that would carry the commandos and the airmen to safety got stuck at a remote base in Iran. Commanders decided to fly in three new planes to extract all the U.S. military personnel and the airman, and they blew up the two disabled planes rather than have them fall into Iranian hands.
A captured pilot would be a propaganda coup for the Iranians. They would use him as a bargaining chip that would take many years to resolve.
Sure, but what are the cargo planes for? They didn't land tanks and ATVs.
In a final twist after the weapons officer was rescued, two transport planes that would carry the commandos and the airmen to safety got stuck at a remote base in Iran. Commanders decided to fly in three new planes to extract all the U.S. military personnel and the airman, and they blew up the two disabled planes rather than have them fall into Iranian hands.
They carried Little Bird helicopters that traveled to the actual rescue site.