A major claim has surfaced in Washington after U.S. Congressman Edward Case stated during a Senate committee hearing that the United States lost 39 aircraft during the reported conflict with Iran. The statement came as he questioned Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jay Hurst about the military and financial impact of the operation. During the hearing, several questions about the reported losses were answered indirectly, drawing further attention to the issue.
While speaking during the session, Edward Case referred to a report published by The War Zone, which claimed that the conflict lasted for 39 days. According to the report, the U.S. Air Force carried out nearly 13,000 missions during that period, but also suffered heavy losses in aircraft and drone operations.
The report stated that 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones were destroyed during combat operations. It also claimed that several fighter aircraft, including F-15 Strike Eagles and an A-10 Warthog, were lost during the campaign. In one of the most significant claims, an F-35A Lightning II was reportedly hit inside Iranian airspace, although the pilot managed to eject safely.
The report further claimed that some U.S. military assets were intentionally destroyed to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. However, these claims have not yet been independently verified, and the reported aircraft losses continue to raise serious questions about the scale of the conflict and the damage suffered by the United States.