Washington/Cairo –

The United States rescued an airman caught behind enemy lines after Iran shot down his F-15 fighter jet, the U.S. government said early Sunday, resolving a crisis for President Donald Trump with the war on Iran in its sixth week.

The rescue is a bright spot for the United States in a war that has killed thousands, sparked an energy crisis and threatens lasting damage to ​the world economy after Iran virtually shut the vital Strait of Hormuz.

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