BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 6. The United States lost ten aircraft, including helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and support planes, during a mission to rescue the crew of a downed F-15E fighter jet in Iran, Trend reports, citing Military Watch Magazine (MWM).
According to the report, low-altitude flights over Iran resulted in the loss of two UH-60 helicopters, two MQ-9 UAVs, an A-10 support aircraft, and an Israeli Hermes 900 reconnaissance UAV due to Iran’s air defense systems.
In addition, two HC-130J Combat King II planes and two MH-6 helicopters were deliberately destroyed by the US after making emergency landings to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands. Some of these aircraft may also have been destroyed by Iranian strikes.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran, striking major cities, including Tehran. The White House cited missile and nuclear threats originating from the Islamic Republic as justification for the attacks. The strikes reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several other senior officials. In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation against Israel and has targeted U.S. facilities across Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
The conflict has placed the region’s energy infrastructure and maritime shipping under serious threat. Due to security tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices have risen significantly. Iran fully controls the Strait of Hormuz and allows passage only to vessels it deems necessary.
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