WASHINGTON/CAIRO (REUTERS)

The United States rescued an airman caught behind enemy lines after Iran shot down his F-15 fighter jet, the US government said early on Sunday.

The rescue comes amid a war that has killed thousands, and sparked an energy crisis after Iran virtually shut the vital Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump stepped up pressure on Saturday for Iran ⁠to open the strait, which usually carries about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, or face attacks on its energy facilities.

The injured airman was the second of the two crew members from the warplane Iran said on Friday ​it had brought down ‌with its air defences, triggering a high-profile search by both Tehran and the United ⁠States.

"Over the past ​several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History," Trump said in a statement posted by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on X.

Although injured, the colonel "will be just fine," Trump said.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Chances ‌for peace talks, which Pakistan is seeking to broker between Washington and ​Tehran, appear to remain slim.