NPR News: 04-05-2026 4PM EDT

US and Israeli forces rescued a US Air Force officer nearly two days after his plane was shot down in Iran's mountainous region, marking the first time Iran downed a US fighter jet since the war began. President Trump hailed the operation while issuing a new threat to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges starting Tuesday unless Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz. This news topped NPR's April 5, 2026, broadcast, alongside updates on Israeli military actions, US economic data, and briefer items on religious statements, a domestic voting policy dispute, and college basketball finals.

Pilot Rescue and US Threats

The joint US-Israeli operation succeeded in extracting the pilot from a remote area in Iran. NPR's Mara Liasson reported President Trump's celebratory response, coupled with his ultimatum on the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments still under Iranian control. Trump has alternated between claiming the strait would reopen naturally at war's end, suggesting European countries handle it, or now demanding immediate Iranian compliance. Liasson noted the challenge: declaring victory and withdrawing seems difficult while Iran holds the strait, complicating any path to de-escalation. This threat escalates amid ongoing US strikes, which a US statement described as dismantling Iran's ability to project power beyond its borders.