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U.S. military losses in the ongoing conflict with Iran have reached up to $2.9 billion, while at least 13 service members have been killed and between 290 and 303 troops have been wounded, U.S. media reported.
Among the wounded, 273 personnel have returned to duty, while 10 sustained serious injuries. U.S. officials said most cases involve traumatic brain injuries caused by blast exposure from Iranian one-way attack drones and other explosive munitions.
The damage estimate, ranging from $1.4 billion to $2.9 billion, reflects losses recorded during the first three weeks of fighting and is largely driven by Iranian missile and drone attacks, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Several major incidents contributed to the growing losses. On Mar. 1, three F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by a Kuwaiti aircraft. On Mar. 16, an F-35 stealth jet made an emergency landing after reportedly coming under fire, with Iran claiming it had targeted the aircraft.
A midair collision between two KC-135 refueling aircraft over Iraq killed six crew members. In another strike, five KC-135s were damaged at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia following an Iranian missile attack and are currently undergoing repairs.
Iranian strikes also damaged aircraft and radar systems at U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan. More than a dozen MQ-9 Reaper drones have been lost, including aircraft shot down in flight and others destroyed on the ground.
At sea, a fire broke out aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on Mar. 12. The vessel is now under repair at Souda Bay in Greece, according to the U.S. Navy.
The widening scope of damage across air, land and naval assets has fed into the Pentagon’s next steps. The department is planning a $200 billion supplemental spending request to replace damaged systems and sustain operations, and has asked the White House to approve a proposal exceeding $200 billion to present to Congress to support the war effort, according to The Washington Post.
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