Of the 81, 45 are MQ-9 Reaper drones; CRS says newly public information explains part of the jump, and it warns that losing aging, high-demand planes could leave gaps in other regions.
Catch up
- Feb. 28 — The U.S.-Iran war began.
- Sep. 8–10 — U.S. strikes hit five Iranian oil tankers and sank one; Iran fired 20 missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan, which says it intercepted 18.
- Sep. 11 — The Navy planned to keep two carrier groups near Iran through at least 2026.
- Sep. 25–27 — Iran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the U.S. ended its blockade; Trump rejected the offer.
- Sep. 30 — A Qatari compromise stalled; U.S. officials said major combat could resume after the Nov. 3 midterms.
- Oct. 2 — Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered Iran's UN delegation out of New York; Trump said Iran will "sign a very fair deal, or they won't exist any longer."
29 earlier issues
- Trump Threatens to Bomb Iranian Bridges and Power Plants for Every Ship Hit in Strait of Hormuz
- Iran fires multiple ballistic missiles at U.S. base in Jordan; all are intercepted
- Iran denies Trump’s claim that new U.S. talks would start Monday
- Cargo ship is struck in the Strait of Hormuz
- Vance says the Iran talks are moving, then calls the war only half over
- Iran won't reopen Hormuz until the US unfreezes its assets and lifts the blockade
- Trump threatens to bomb Oman, the U.S. ally brokering the deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
- Trump declares an "economic D-Day" on Iran as Hormuz traffic runs 85% below normal
- UpdateU.S. goes nearly a month without large Iran strikes as Trump shifts back to sanctions; Hormuz remains closed
- U.S. destroys two Iranian rocket launchers loaded to mine the Strait of Hormuz; Iran fires eight missiles at bases in Jordan, all intercepted
- UpdateU.S. bombs two Iranian rocket sites near the Strait of Hormuz; Iran fires eight missiles at Jordan
- UpdateU.S. forces struck IRGC air-defense, radar, maritime and mine-laying sites on Iran's southern coast starting at noon on Sept. 1
- UpdateU.S. hits about 100 Iranian targets; Iran fires back at American bases in four countries, and a cruise missile kills 4 at a wedding
- Reuters weapons experts say a US munition made a direct hit on the Iranian wedding house that killed 5
- US destroys or disables 3 Iranian oil tankers after Iran fired ballistic missiles at a US carrier and destroyer
- UpdateIran says it hit an unmanned US vessel a day after the tanker strikes; Central Command calls the claim "a total lie"
- UpdateIran says it will declare a restricted zone near the Strait of Hormuz and will strike threats "even before" they are carried out
- Iran says it seized a US sea drone in Hormuz; CENTCOM says it malfunctioned a day earlier
- UpdateIran fires 20 missiles at a US base in Jordan; Jordan says it intercepted 18
- UpdateNavy plans to keep 2 carrier groups near Iran at least through 2026
- UpdateUnidentified projectile hits Iranian container ship off Hengam Island, killing 1 and wounding 4
- UpdateOil's chokepoint shifts to refineries and tankers as JPMorgan drops its baseline oil forecast
- UpdateTrump says he is choosing among wiping Iran out, letting it rot economically, or a deal, and would "probably" meet Pezeshkian at the UN this week
- UpdateIran offers to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its naval blockade as traffic falls to two ships
- Iran proposes seven-day ceasefire plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz and revive nuclear talks
- UpdateTrump rejects Iran's offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days in exchange for ending the U.S. blockade
- Trump expects more Iran talks this week after rejecting Iran's Hormuz offer; Iran won't soften its terms
- UpdateIran says its UN delegation has no talks planned with the US and will fly home Tuesday, Sept. 29; mediators keep working
- UpdateQatari compromise to end the U.S.-Iran war stalls; Trump denies aides' account that he offered Iran sanctions relief
What else is in the count
- F-15E Strike Eagles: 12 lost or damaged (per Fox News)
- KC-135 tankers: 7 lost or damaged (per Fox News)
- The Pentagon says it does not comment on outside battle damage assessments.