The United States Congress has formally acknowledged that the US military lost or suffered heavy damage to forty‑two aircraft during the forty‑day bombing campaign against Iran conducted jointly with Israel under Operation Epic Fury.
The Congressional report, released in Washington DC, detailed that the losses spanned fixed‑wing aircraft, helicopters and uncrewed aerial systems.
These figures were compiled from news reports and statements issued by the Department of Defence, which has been using a secondary Department of War designation under Executive Order 14347 dated 5 September 2025, and by US Central Command.
The report emphasised that the number of aircraft damaged or destroyed may remain subject to revision due to classification, ongoing combat activity and attribution complexities.
Military operations under Operation Epic Fury began on 28 February 2026 in coordination with Israel. The campaign involved air, maritime and missile combat engagements across the Middle East. Combat operations slowed following a ceasefire in April, although some strikes resumed within weeks and conditions remain fluid. The Department of Defence has not yet released a comprehensive assessment of combat losses during the operation, leaving the Congressional report as the most detailed public account to date.
During a hearing on 12 May 2026, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules W. Hurst III testified that the department’s cost estimate for military operations in Iran had risen to 29 billion US dollars.
The report listed specific aircraft losses and damages: four F‑15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one F‑35A Lightning II fighter aircraft, one A‑10 Thunderbolt-II ground‑attack aircraft, seven KC‑135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft, one E‑3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, two MC‑130J Commando II special operations aircraft, one HH‑60W Jolly Green II helicopter, twenty‑four MQ‑9 Reaper drones and one MQ‑4C Triton drone. This inventory underscores the scale of attrition suffered by US forces during the campaign.
Reacting to the report, Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared that the US Congress had finally acknowledged the loss of dozens of aircraft worth billions of dollars during the conflict. In a post on X, he stated that months after the initiation of war on Iran, the US Congress had admitted to these losses.
He further claimed that Iran’s armed forces were the first to shoot down an F‑35 fighter aircraft, asserting that the powerful Iranian Armed Forces had struck down the touted stealth jet. Araghchi added that with lessons learned and knowledge gained, any return to war would feature many more surprises from Iran’s military.
The Congressional report thus provides a rare glimpse into the scale of US military losses during Operation Epic Fury, highlighting both the financial burden and the operational challenges faced by American forces. It also underscores the continuing volatility of the situation, with Iran’s leadership using the revelations to bolster its narrative of resistance and military capability.
ANI
