An Iranian strike this week damaged several US military aircraft at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, a US official told Reuters.
According to the US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the attack caused one A-10 Thunderbolt II, known as the Warthog, to lose a wing. About eight F-15s sustained minor damage but have since been returned to service.
US aviation losses and Patriot stockpiles
The US military, the world’s most well-funded, had already sustained material losses prior to Tuesday’s Iranian strikes. According to a May report from the US Congressional Research Service, 42 US military aircraft had been lost or damaged in the conflict up to that point. This total includes over two dozen drones, fighter jets damaged in strikes, and aircraft lost in accidents.
Since the war with Iran began in February, 18 US service members have been killed and more than 800 have been wounded.
The Iranian strike on the US base in Jordan followed reports that US forces had destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers. The US stated these strikes were in retaliation for two ballistic missile attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against a US Navy warship over the preceding two days.
US forces had to use approximately 30 Patriot interceptors to repel the Iranian missile attack, the US official said. This has heightened concerns regarding US stockpiles of missile defense interceptors and other munitions.
While exact inventory data is classified, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimates that approximately 65% of US Patriot interceptors were used between February and July. Fewer than 850 interceptors remain in stock, down from 2,330 before the war with Iran began.
Source: REUTERS
