Iranian Strikes Cause Significant Damage to U.S. Military Assets in Jordan

Iranian strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan have significantly damaged American military aircraft. Before this, 42 U.S. aircraft were already lost or damaged since the conflict began. The attack on U.S. forces followed the U.S. destruction of Iranian oil carriers, escalating tensions further.

Multiple American military aircraft suffered damage this week during Iranian strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, marking a serious setback for the U.S. military, which is the most heavily funded in the world. The strikes caused material damage, including the destruction of over two dozen drones and impacts on aircraft already affected by accidents.

Reports from the Congressional Research Service indicated that 42 U.S. military aircraft had already sustained damage or been lost due to the conflict. Since the Iran war's inception in February, 18 U.S. service members have died and over 800 have been injured.

An anonymous U.S. official confirmed that the attack hit an A-10 Thunderbolt II, known as the Warthog, resulting in the loss of a wing, with light damage incurred on approximately eight F-15s. These strikes followed U.S. actions against Iranian oil carriers and were in retaliation for previous Iranian attacks on a U.S. Navy warship.

The intensity of the Iranian attack prompted the U.S. forces to launch around 30 Patriot interceptors to neutralize incoming missiles, highlighting concerns regarding missile inventory. Although exact figures remain classified, the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that 65% of U.S. Patriot interceptors have already been used up between February and July.

The damage inflicted by Iranian strikes was further underscored by acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao, who stated that Iran had severely impacted Bahrain, referring to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters strike.