US Military Faces Damage from Iranian Strikes in Jordan
In recent developments, a US official has reported that Iranian strikes have caused significant damage to several American military aircraft stationed at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan this week.
Despite being one of the most well-funded military forces globally, the US military has been suffering losses even before the recent attacks. This includes the destruction of more than two dozen drones and damages to fighter jets, along with incidents resulting in aircraft being lost to accidents.
A report from May by the Congressional Research Service revealed that 42 US military aircraft had already been damaged or destroyed during the ongoing conflict. Since the onset of the war with Iran in February, 18 US service members have tragically lost their lives, and over 800 have sustained injuries.
An anonymous US official shared details of the Iranian strike, revealing that one A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, was severely damaged with a missing wing. In addition, around eight F-15 jets were lightly damaged but managed to return to operational status.
The Iranian attack on the US base followed reports of American forces destroying five Iranian crude oil carriers. These actions were part of the US response to missile strikes by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that targeted a US Navy warship on two successive days.
To counter the missile attacks, US forces were compelled to launch around 30 Patriot interceptors. This situation has raised concerns regarding the availability of US air defense interceptors and other missiles. Although specific stock numbers are classified, estimates from the Center for Strategic and International Studies indicate that about 65% of US Patriot interceptors were used between February and July, leaving fewer than 850 in reserve, a decrease from 2,330 before the war began with Iran.
