‘Real Toll is Far Higher’: Iran’s Araghchi Cites Report Listing 81 US Aircraft Lost or Damaged

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday cited a US Congressional Research Service (CRS) report listing 81 American military aircraft reportedly lost or damaged during operations against Iran, claiming that the “real toll is far higher”.

“In May, the Congressional Research Service admitted that Iran’s Armed Forces had taken out 42 U.S. military aircraft. Now: 81,” Araghchi wrote on X.

His description of the aircraft as “taken out” goes beyond the report’s stated category of aircraft “reportedly lost or damaged”. The CRS also noted that some damaged aircraft may have returned to active service.

Araghchi separately alleged that US Central Command had prevented a senator from inspecting military bases.

“Proof? CENTCOM won’t let a sitting Senator inspect bases it claims are fine,” he wrote, adding: “You can fool all the people some of the time...”

WHAT THE REPORT COUNTS

The CRS report, U.S. Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury: Considerations for Congress, was updated on October 5. It lists 81 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, including uncrewed systems, reportedly lost or damaged in US operations against Iran since February 28.

The tally draws on news reports, statements from the US Department of Defense and CENTCOM, and information from the Department of Defense Inspector General.

The CRS cautioned that the figures could change because of classification, ongoing combat activity and questions of attribution.

The aircraft listed include 12 F-15E Strike Eagles, one F-35A Lightning II, two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, seven KC-135 Stratotankers and one E-3 Sentry. The report also identifies two MC-130J Commando II aircraft and one HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopter.

Uncrewed aircraft account for a substantial share of the tally: 45 MQ-9 Reapers, three MQ-1 aircraft and one MQ-4C Triton. Other helicopters listed comprise one AH-64 Apache, four AH-6 Little Birds and one MH-60 Sea Hawk.

REPAIR COSTS AND REPLACEMENT QUESTIONS

The CRS said the reported incidents raised questions for Congress about access to information, repair and replacement budgets, the adequacy of available forces, industrial capacity and operational risks.

It referred to a Pentagon Lead Inspector General report published on September 14 that assessed certain equipment losses during operations against Iran between April 1 and June 30.

The CRS also cited a September Congressional Budget Office estimate placing the cost of equipment losses as of August 1 at between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion, depending on the Pentagon’s replacement plans. That estimate concerns equipment losses, rather than solely the aircraft in the CRS tally.

Separately, Axios reported, citing US officials, that President Donald Trump had not made a final decision on resuming major combat operations against Iran, but the Pentagon had instructed CENTCOM to complete preparations for possible renewed strikes.

The directive did not specify a launch date, according to the report.

US and Israeli officials told Axios that renewed operations could occur before the November 3 US midterm elections, and possibly before Israeli elections expected a week earlier.

With inputs from ANI