Tensions between Iran and the United States remain extremely high, even though no full-scale war is currently underway. US President Donald Trump has reportedly been repeatedly setting deadlines for potential strikes against Iran, but has also extended them multiple times.

Amid this situation, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has made a major claim, citing a report from the US Congress. Sharing a link to the report on the social media platform ‘X,’ Araghchi suggested that Iran’s armed forces have, for the first time, shot down a US F-35 fighter jet. He also warned that any renewed conflict could bring even more ‘shocking surprises’ for the world.

In his post, Araghchi wrote that months after the start of the war against Iran, the US Congress has acknowledged losses worth billions of dollars in aircraft. He claimed that Iran’s military successfully targeted the much-discussed F-35 for the first time and added that future warfare would be even more surprising based on lessons learned.

Claims of 42 aircraft and drone losses by the US

According to the report referred to as part of ‘Operation Epic Fury,’ an assessment was made of US military losses during operations against Iran.

The report states that on 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran, involving air, naval and missile strikes.

It claims that during the conflict, the US has suffered the loss of at least 42 aircraft and drones so far.

Estimated war cost reaches USD 29 billion

The report also suggests that the US Department of Defense has not yet released a final official figure for the total damage. However, during a congressional hearing on 12 May 2026, acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules W. Hurst reportedly stated that the cost of the Iran mission had risen to around USD 29 billion.

A significant portion of this amount is being spent on repairing and replacing aircraft and other military equipment.

The report lists several key military losses. It claims that four F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were destroyed. Of these, three were reportedly lost due to ‘friendly fire’ over Kuwait, while one was shot down during operations inside Iran.

An A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft was reportedly destroyed after coming under enemy fire.

In addition, seven KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft were damaged. One of these reportedly crashed in Iraq, killing all six crew members on board.

The report further claims that Iranian missile and drone attacks on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia damaged several U.S. aircraft, including an E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft.

It also states that two MC-130J Commando II aircraft had to be abandoned during operations inside Iran and were later destroyed by US forces.

The report also highlights significant losses in unmanned aerial systems.

It claims that the US has lost or had damaged 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton drone so far in the conflict.

Pentagon has not confirmed F-35 shootdown

Despite these claims, the US Department of Defense has not officially confirmed that an F-35 fighter jet was shot down.

However, the statements made by Iran’s foreign minister and references to the congressional report have triggered renewed debate over the issue.

On social media, many users have linked these developments to President Trump’s repeated delays in setting deadlines for military action against Iran.