US reports loss of at least 81 aircraft and $3.3 billion in damage since Iran war began

U.S. officials say at least 81 American aircraft have been lost since Washington and Israel started their war against Iran in late February, with the total cost of destroyed or damaged warplanes, helicopters and drones reaching up to $3.3 billion.

The losses include one F‑35A Lightning II damaged by Iranian fire on March 19, twelve F‑15E Strike Eagle fighters damaged, three F‑15s shot down by friendly fire in Kuwait’s airspace in early March, another F‑15 hit over Iran the following month, and eight F‑15s that suffered minor damage during Tehran’s missile attack on a Jordanian airbase but have since been repaired; seven KC‑135 Stratotanker aerial refuelers were also destroyed or damaged, along with other aircraft such as A‑10s, MC‑130Js, E‑3 Sentinels, AH‑64 Apaches, MH‑60 Sea Hawks and 45 MQ‑9 Reaper drones.