📰 5 sources 6 articles · 7 Oct 2026, 13:50 → 9 days ago

A Congressional report reveals US aircraft losses in the war on Iran, and an Iranian response to the figures

A report by the US Congressional Research Service revealed that at least 81 US aircraft were lost or damaged during operations linked to the confrontation with Iran since late February, at a cost estimated in the billions of dollars, with MQ-9 Reaper drones suffering the largest losses. Reports covered details of the aircraft types affected, friendly fire over Kuwait and Iranian attacks on a base in Jordan, before Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by saying the real toll is much higher.

📍 Where things stand: The Congressional report on the loss of 81 US aircraft and its cost remains under discussion, after Iran's foreign minister questioned its figures and said the actual losses are much higher.

⏱️ Timeline

7 Oct 2026, 13:50 A report by the US Congressional Research Service revealed that at least 81 US military aircraft were lost or damaged during the war on Iran since late February, a toll that included fighter jets, helicopters and drones, with MQ-9 Reaper drones recording the largest losses at 45 aircraft, amid concerns over the impact on air operations and the Defense Department's ability to compensate.
8 Oct 2026, 01:18 A report by a center affiliated with the US Congress said at least 81 US aircraft, helicopters and drones were lost or damaged during military operations against Iran since the war began about seven months earlier, at a cost of 3.3 billion dollars, noting that the largest losses were among MQ-9 Reaper drones with at least 45 lost, and that 12 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft were included on the list, three of which were destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait in March.
8 Oct 2026, 03:07 The US Congressional Research Service report indicated that the operations linked to the confrontation with Iran began on 28 February, and that the cost is estimated at about 3.3 billion dollars, with MQ-9 Reaper drones the worst affected, 45 of them lost, in addition to 12 F-15E fighters, three of which were destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait in March.
8 Oct 2026, 07:40 Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni, citing a US report published by the New York Post, said the losses included 12 F-15E fighters and 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, in addition to an F-35A being damaged and an E-3 Sentry being lost, and that some aircraft were damaged by friendly fire over Kuwait and by Iranian attacks on Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan.
8 Oct 2026, 11:13 A report issued by the Congressional Research Service said the US military lost 81 aircraft, destroyed or damaged, during the war with Iran, at a cost ranging between 1.9 and 3.3 billion dollars, while CNN quoted its sources as saying the total cost of the war is at least 45 billion dollars, with the report raising questions about the adequacy of the information provided to Congress and the funding of repair or replacement operations.
9 Oct 2026, 07:28 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to the Congressional Research Service report that raised the scale of Washington's losses in the war on Iran to 81 aircraft destroyed or damaged, saying the real toll is much higher, and in a post on the X platform he cited US Central Command's (CENTCOM) refusal to allow a senator to inspect bases it describes as intact; the report referred to figures from the Congressional Budget Office.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

⚠️ Sources disagree

Cost of the US aircraft losses

3.3 billion dollars according to الجزيرة نت
about 3.3 billion dollars according to جريدة القدس
3.3 billion dollars according to الخبر اليمني
between 1.9 and 3.3 billion dollars according to CNN Arabic

Figures as each outlet reported them at the time. We do not judge which is correct; numbers often change as events develop.

How the sources covered it

Most coverage focused on the report's figures and aircraft types, with differences in the details each source highlighted: some gave a fixed cost of 3.3 billion dollars, while CNN gave a range of 1.9 to 3.3 billion dollars and added the total war cost, and Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni carried the report via the New York Post with details on other aircraft and a base in Jordan.

Euronews.com It led with the tally of 81 US aircraft lost or damaged since late February and with MQ-9 Reaper drones recording the largest losses at 45 aircraft, and highlighted concerns over air operations and the Defense Department's ability to compensate, without mentioning the financial cost or the details of friendly fire over Kuwait.
الجزيرة نت It focused on the figure and the stated cost of 3.3 billion dollars, highlighted the loss of 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones among the largest losses and the inclusion of 12 F-15E Strike Eagles, three of which were destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait in March, and noted the report's warning.
جريدة القدس It specified the start date of the operations linked to the confrontation with Iran as 28 February and tied it to a cost of about 3.3 billion dollars, and highlighted the losses of MQ-9 Reaper drones and 12 F-15E fighters, three of them destroyed by friendly fire over Kuwait.
الخبر اليمني It presented the report as published by the New York Post, and added details not found in other coverage, such as an F-35A being damaged, an E-3 Sentry being lost and Iranian attacks on Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan alongside friendly fire over Kuwait.
CNN Arabic It gave the cost of the losses as a range between 1.9 and 3.3 billion dollars, quoted its sources as saying the total cost of the war is at least 45 billion dollars, and raised questions about the adequacy of the information given to Congress and the funding of repair or replacement, and also devoted a later article to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's response.