[UPDATE] CRS: 81 U.S. aircraft and drones lost or damaged in Iran war, up from 42 in May

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.

PREVIOUSLY

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."

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.