WANA (May 20) – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated on Wednesday that any potential resumption of military conflict would bring “many more surprises,” claiming that Iran’s defense capabilities have advanced significantly from recent engagements.

 

In a statement published on social media, Araghchi highlighted a purported admission by the U.S. Congress regarding the loss of dozens of military aircraft, which he valued in the billions of dollars, since the onset of hostilities against Iran.

 

The Foreign Minister specifically highlighted the performance of Iran’s military capabilities, asserting that the country’s armed forces are the first to successfully down a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet.

 

“With lessons learned and knowledge we gained, return to war will feature many more surprises,” Araghchi warned, signaling that Tehran has adapted its defensive and offensive strategies based on intelligence and operational data gathered during the conflict.

 

​According to recent congressional reports, news dispatches, and statements from the U.S. Department of Defense and Central Command (CENTCOM), a total of 42 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft—including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—have been listed as downed, destroyed, or damaged during Operation “Epic Fury.”

 

​The official briefing noted that the total number of compromised assets remains subject to revision due to operational security, ongoing combat activities, and ongoing damage assessment attributions.

 

The detailed breakdown of verified U.S. aviation losses includes:

  • ​Four F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets
  • ​One F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter jet
  • ​One A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft
  • ​Seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft
  • ​One E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft
  • ​Two MC-130J Commando II special operations transport aircraft
  • ​One HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search and rescue helicopter
  • ​Twenty-Four MQ-9 Reaper Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) drones
  • ​One MQ-4C Triton High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) drone