Iran says it destroyed 11 US warplanes, helicopters in July conflict

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi said Saturday that Iranian forces destroyed 11 US warplanes and helicopters on the ground during the 15-day conflict with Washington earlier this month, telling the semi-official Tasnim News Agency that the strikes targeted aircraft stationed at American military bases between July 8 and July 22.

Aircraft and infrastructure hit

Mohebbi claimed the destroyed equipment included 17 reconnaissance and operational drones — eight of which were "brand new" — alongside one F-15 fighter jet housed inside a hardened shelter, one P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, one C-17 military transport aircraft and eight aerial refueling aircraft. He said the aircraft were struck while stationed on the ground at US military bases but did not specify their locations, according to the report.

The IRGC spokesman also detailed damage to command-and-control infrastructure, claiming Iranian strikes hit nine command centers, five satellite communications systems, six Patriot air defense radars, three air and naval surveillance radars and eight reconnaissance and early-warning systems. The attacks additionally destroyed seven air missile defense radars, five electronic positioning system radars including two long-range systems, six missile hangars, 17 weapons depots, 12 fuel tanks, four HIMARS rocket launcher platforms and six missile depots, he said.

Casualty claims disputed

Mohebbi claimed that more than 200 US service members were killed after Washington violated the memorandum of understanding, dismissing official American casualty figures as "absolute lies." He said Iranian forces struck eight locations where US troops were stationed, including one site containing 20 shelters that were destroyed, adding that the number of wounded personnel was "far higher" than the reported death toll.

The spokesman challenged Washington to allow journalists to visit the strike sites to independently assess the casualties, stating that the true extent of losses exceeded Pentagon acknowledgments. He did not provide specific evidence for the death toll or the exact location of the alleged strikes.

Warnings to UK and Israel

Mohebbi warned that the UK, Gulf countries or any other state supporting US military operations against Iran would become "legitimate targets," claiming that US B-1 bombers had recently operated from air bases in Britain. "If London continued supporting Washington militarily, it would become a certain and legitimate target," he said, adding that Tehran has prepared specific military scenarios for every contingency.

The IRGC official also warned Israel against resuming military operations, claiming Tehran would inflict "severe consequences" if fighting resumed. He accused Israel of trying to keep the US militarily engaged in the region by providing President Donald Trump with "false intelligence" to advance its objectives through American military power, stating that Israel knew what awaited it if Tehran again focused its operations against it.