The recent US-Iran conflict, referred to as Operation Epic Fury, reportedly caused heavy military and financial losses for the United States during the early phase of the war. According to claims discussed in US Senate proceedings, several American military assets, including fighter aircraft and drones, were damaged or destroyed during Iranian retaliatory attacks across the Middle East.
US Congressman Edward Case stated that 39 aircraft belonging to the US Air Force were destroyed during the conflict with Iran. During a Senate committee session, the Democratic lawmaker questioned Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jay Hurst regarding the reported losses. However, the official reportedly did not provide direct answers and remained unclear on several important points.
The claims were linked to a report published by defence-focused outlet The War Zone. The publication claimed that the US Air Force conducted nearly 13,000 flights during a reported 39-day conflict scenario involving operations in and around Iranian territory.
According to the report, the damaged or destroyed assets included 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and several fighter aircraft. Among the affected planes were F-15 and A-10 aircraft. The report also claimed that an F-35A stealth fighter jet was hit while operating inside Iranian airspace. The pilot reportedly managed to eject safely before the aircraft was lost.
Some of the reported losses involving US Fighter Jets were also said to have occurred in Kuwaiti airspace. The report further claimed that certain American military assets were intentionally destroyed by US forces to stop them from falling into enemy hands.
However, these reports have not been independently confirmed. No official military statement has fully verified the exact number of damaged or destroyed aircraft.
The broader conflict also caused significant damage to American military bases across the Gulf region. Iranian missile and drone attacks reportedly targeted US facilities in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Satellite assessments suggested that around 228 structures or military assets were damaged across nearly 15 installations. The affected infrastructure reportedly included aircraft hangars, radar systems, fuel depots, and communication centers.
Several US Fighter Jets, refueling aircraft, surveillance planes, and drones were also reportedly impacted during the attacks.
While troop losses remained comparatively low, the war placed heavy pressure on American military operations and budgets. Early estimates suggested that infrastructure damage and operational expenses reached tens of billions of dollars during the opening weeks of the conflict.
In other news read more about: WSJ Claims UAE Secretly Took Part in Israel-US Strikes on Iran During Conflict
Officials and analysts continue to review the scale of losses as assessments remain ongoing.
