Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Wednesday, May 13, 2026

A Democratic member of the United States Congress has claimed that 39 American aircraft were destroyed during the war with Iran, raising fresh questions about the scale of US military losses during the conflict. According to the 24NewsHD TV channel report, Congressman Edward Case made the remarks during a special Senate committee hearing where he questioned Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jay Hurst about the damage suffered by American forces.

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According to the report, 39 American aircraft were destroyed during the conflict, while another 10 aircraft suffered varying degrees of damage.

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So so much winning.

#1 | Posted by Nixon at 2026-05-13 06:54 AM | Reply

If this report is accurate, it could be more aircraft than what Iran has lost during Trump's 'skirmish'.

OCU

#2 | Posted by OCUser at 2026-05-13 05:42 PM | Reply

To clarify for those who don't read the article, the claim did not originate from Congressman Case. He was questioning Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jay Hurst about an April 10 report from www.twz.com that details 39 lost aircraft plus 10 more that have taken damaged.

#3 | Posted by johnny_hotsauce at 2026-05-13 11:00 PM | Reply

At least 12 US, allied radar systems hit by Iran since start of war (March 2026)
www.aa.com.tr

... Iran has hit 12 US and allied radar and SATCOM terminals since the start of the war, according to data compiled by Anadolu.

Kuwait International Airport's newest radar system was among those targeted, as three "hostile drones" damaged it on Sunday, according to Kuwaiti authorities. The full extent of the damage remains unknown.

A day earlier, an Iranian drone struck a US Saab Giraffe 1X radar system at the US Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq. The radar provided Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) and Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) in a 75-kilometer radius and is estimated to be worth $2 million.

While the extent of the damage is unclear, satellite imagery analyzed by multiple outlets confirms that four AN/TPY-2 radars have been hit in Al Sader and Al Ruwais in the United Arab Emirates, Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Jordan, and Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia. AN/TPY-2 radar components belonging to THAAD missile defense systems are valued at an estimated $2 billion.

A US AN/FPS-132 early warning radar at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, valued at $1.1 billion, was struck by an Iranian missile when retaliatory attacks began on Feb. 28. Qatari authorities confirmed that the radar was damaged.

Iran also struck the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, destroying two satellite communications terminals and several large buildings.

Open-source intelligence reports have identified the targeted communication terminals as AN/GSC-52Bs, with an estimated cost of $20 million, factoring in deployment and installation.

In addition to the terminals lost in Bahrain, satellite imagery analyzed by The New York Times of Camp Arifjan in Kuwait showed three destroyed radomes, adding roughly $30 million in damage.

In total, 12 radar systems or SATCOM terminals, valued at an estimated $3.152 billion, have been hit by Iranian strikes. ...


#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-05-13 11:24 PM | Reply

Is "aircraft" = drones?

#5 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2026-05-13 11:24 PM | Reply

Is "aircraft" = drones?

Probably.

#6 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-05-13 11:29 PM | Reply

Would certainly include drones.

#7 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-05-13 11:34 PM | Reply

Would certainly include drones.

#7 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-05-13 11:34 PM | Reply | Flag:

The article doesn't specify.

#8 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2026-05-13 11:34 PM | Reply

@#6 ... Probably. ...

I am not yet convinced of that.

In Iran, the US seems to have been quite behind in the deployment of drones.

Expending multi-million dollar anti-aircraft items to shoot down multi-thousand dollar Iranian drones.

#9 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-05-13 11:37 PM | Reply

The article doesn't specify.

No. I've read about 2 F-18s, one F-15, one A-10, two tankers and an AWACs as far as non-drones go.

#10 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-05-13 11:39 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1


Expending multi-million dollar anti-aircraft items to shoot down multi-thousand dollar Iranian drones.

#9 | POSTED BY LIELIGHTER

Welcome to the US military. Would have happened eventually be thankful its happening now.

#11 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-05-13 11:58 PM | Reply

As for me, the greatest loss to date...is our morality, our ability to claim that we are friends of the rule of law. In truth, we murdered over 80 people in a sneak attack on Iran, and we murdered many people on the high seas and goodness knows we murdered many people when we kidnapped Maduro.
We killed more people than Ted Bundy....so I guess we Americans are mass murderers.

#12 | Posted by Hughmass at 2026-05-14 07:41 AM | Reply

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