Black Friday for US Forces in Iran
Brown land
As the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its second month, the Islamic Republic continues to successfully and unexpectedly counter the aggression, even managing to conduct effective offensive military operations on multiple fronts despite the bombardment it is enduring.
Yesterday, Friday, April 3, 2026, Iranian forces achieved a number of significant military successes in the field of air defense. In this context, the official spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters stated the following:
“Friday was a day filled with pride and honor for the country’s air defense units, as the valiant and courageous mujahideen of Islam, with great power, speed, and precision, were able to deliver devastating blows to enemy fighter jets, helicopters, and drones, shooting down a large number of them. This day should be called ‘Black Friday and Humiliation’ for the American-Zionist enemy.” The military spokesman added: “The advanced air defense systems of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force shot down a sophisticated fifth-generation American F-35 fighter jet, three strategic drones (MQ-9 and Hermes), and two stealth cruise missiles. The IRGC Ground Force’s air defenses also successfully downed an advanced A-10 fighter jet and two Black Hawk helicopters, while the Army’s air defense heroes targeted another advanced A-10 fighter jet. All of this was done under the guidance and control of the country’s unified air defense network.”
He continued: “We have previously announced that we are demonstrating our capabilities in the field. Let the enemy know that, through the advanced systems developed by our young scientists, we will impose complete control over our country’s airspace.”
This statement means that Iran managed to shoot down or damage three US military aircraft and two attack helicopters within 24 hours, an unprecedented number of such losses for the United States in a long time. Furthermore, it is possible that the downing of one of the aircraft yesterday resulted in the loss of an American pilot inside Iranian territory. Twenty-four hours after his plane crashed, he has not yet been found. If the American side is unable to locate him, it is likely that he has been captured by the Iranians, which would constitute another significant blow to the American administration.
The following is a list of American air losses since the beginning of the war (most of which are officially confirmed):
– Two F-35 fighter jets, one of which was hit and shot down by Iranian air defense fire;
– Three F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft shot down by the Kuwaiti Air Force due to friendly fire, according to the official account;
– One F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft shot down by Iranian air defense fire;
– Two A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft shot down by Iranian air defense fire;
– One E-3G Sentry AWACS aircraft destroyed at Prince Sultan Air Base;
– One KC-135 tanker aircraft shot down by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq; – A KC-135 transport aircraft was damaged after being hit in the air;
– Three KC-135 transport aircraft were destroyed to varying degrees at Prince Sultan Air Base;
– Two KC-135 transport aircraft were damaged by Iranian fire at the same air base;
– Seventeen MQ-9 Reaper drones were shot down by Iranian air defenses;
– A UH-60 helicopter was damaged by an FPV drone at Al-Udayri Air Base in Kuwait;
– Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters were damaged by ground fire during a search and rescue operation inside Iranian territory;
– One CH-47 Chinook helicopter was destroyed at Al-Udayri Air Base in Kuwait.
It should also be noted that the number of drones of various types shot down by the Iranian armed forces since the beginning of the war has reached approximately 160 to date, in addition to dozens of missiles, bombs, and other projectiles.
