Trump says U.S. used 155 warplanes to rescue airman in Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. military had used as many as 155 warplanes to rescue the second airman in Iran and was forced to destroy some cargo planes that got stuck to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands.

"We blew up the old planes," Trump told a press conference at the White House while focusing on details of the rescue.

The warplanes reportedly contained communications equipment and anti-missile technology that the Pentagon did not want Iran to seize.

The search-and-rescue mission was then removed by "faster, lighter planes," Trump said.

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine told reporters that the U.S. A-10 Warthog downed on Friday was conducting a "sandy" mission -- positioning itself between the rescue force and enemy fire.

The aircraft was hit multiple times by Iranian fire, but the pilot managed to fly it out of Iran before ejecting over friendly territory, Caine said.

The National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam on Tuesday morning confirmed To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC), as state president for the 2026-2031 tenure.

All 495 deputies present voted in favor of the draft resolution on the election of Lam, who served as the state president of Vietnam from May to October 2024.

Lam was elected general secretary of the 13th CPVCC in August 2024 and was re-elected to the position for the 2026-2031 tenure at the first meeting of the 14th CPVCC on Jan 23, 2026.

In his speech, Lam stressed the need to develop a highly skilled workforce to meet development requirements in the new period, improve institutions and governance toward a modern, inclusive and sustainable society, and bring the country in step with global political, economic and civilizational trends.