Iran FM claims $3.3bn US damage in strikes, double earlier count

A new document from the US Congressional Research Service presents a broader picture of damage sustained by American forces during Operation Furious Creek against Iran.

According to the report, published on October 5, 81 American aircraft, including planes, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, were lost or damaged since military operations against Iran began on February 28.

The figure immediately drew attention in Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a screenshot of the document on X, noting that in May the Congressional Research Service had counted 42 American aircraft lost or damaged, and the number now stands at 81.

Araghchi claimed the true number is even higher, and used the American report to attack Washington and its presentation of the scale of damage during the war.

But the document itself presents a somewhat more complex picture than the Iranian claim. The Congressional Research Service does not state that 81 aircraft were destroyed. The list includes aircraft that were destroyed, lost or damaged, and the report's authors emphasize that the number may change. Among other things, it notes that some of the damaged aircraft may return to service after repairs.

The Iranian foreign minister's post (Screenshot)

Among the items appearing on the list are 12 F-15E fighter jets, one F-35A aircraft, two A-10 attack aircraft, seven KC-135 refueling planes, one E-3 airborne warning and control aircraft, two MC-130J planes and several helicopters. The largest portion of the list is actually unmanned aerial vehicles, led by 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones.

The new number is particularly striking because the previous Congressional Research Service report, published in May, counted 42 American aircraft lost or damaged. Even then it was noted that the list was based on open-source reporting, statements from the US Department of Defense and Central Command, and that it was subject to change.

The new report also cites estimates that the cost of replacing equipment damaged in the war could reach a range of $1.9 billion to $3.3 billion, depending on how the US Department of Defense chooses to replace and rehabilitate the equipment. These are equipment costs only and do not reflect the full cost of the military operation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (Photo: Shutterstock)

The Congressional Research Service is a nonpartisan research body that provides analysis to members of Congress and its committees. In this case it relied on open-source information, media reports, statements from the Department of Defense and Central Command, and findings from oversight bodies within the American defense establishment.