The United States has lost at least 16 military aircraft during its ongoing war with Iran, according to a report by Bloomberg. These include 12 drones and four manned aircraft.

Most of the drones lost were armed Reaper drones. The US military has widely used these drones in operations against Iran and other adversaries across West Asia and beyond.

Fighter jets and tanker losses reported

Among the four aircraft losses, three were F-15 fighter jets. These jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwait in a case of friendly fire. In addition, a K-135 refuelling tanker crashed during a mid-air refuelling mission over Iraq.

The tanker accident proved deadly. All six crew members on board were killed in the incident.

F-35 emergency landing raises concerns

Meanwhile, CNN reported that a US F-35 fighter jet had to make an emergency landing at an American airbase in West Asia. The aircraft was reportedly struck by what is believed to be Iranian fire.

The US Central Command confirmed the emergency landing but did not clearly state the cause of the damage.

“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition. This incident is under investigation,” the US Central Command told CNN.

Iranian strikes damage US assets

In another development, The Wall Street Journal reported that five US refuelling aircraft were damaged in an Iranian strike. The attack targeted the Prince Sultan airbase in Saudi Arabia.

The conflict has also led to human losses. So far, at least 13 American service members have been killed, while around 200 have been injured.

Most drone losses caused by Iranian defences

Out of the 12 drones lost, most were shot down by Iran. Reports suggest that at least nine Reaper drones were destroyed by Iranian air defence systems.

Another drone was hit during a missile strike at an airfield in Jordan. The remaining two drones were lost due to accidents rather than combat.

US lacks full control of Iranian airspace

Despite carrying out heavy attacks on Iran for three weeks and weakening its capabilities in earlier conflicts, the United States and Israel still do not have complete air control over Iran.

Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had earlier explained that the US only enjoys “localised air superiority.” This means American forces control certain parts of Iranian airspace, while other areas remain contested.