At least 81 US aircraft worth up to $3.3bn lost or damaged in Iran war Share At least 81 US aircraft worth up to $3.3bn lost or damaged in Iran war on social media At least 81 United States military aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, have been lost or damaged during Operation Epic Fury, the code name for Washington's military campaign against Iran launched earlier this year. The statistic comes as part of a report released on Monday by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan government agency that provides budget-related research to the legislature. The report this week highlights the growing price tag for the war, which began on February 28. A lasting ceasefire has remained out of reach as the conflict continues into its eighth month. "The asymmetries of warfare show that even small countries with small militaries can inflict damage on the world's best militaries," said Harlan Ullman, a former naval officer and chairman of the Killowen Group, a government advisory firm. He told Al Jazeera that Iran has managed to achieve a degree of success in damaging US military hardware and bases in the Middle East.

Gen. Pat Ryder answers questions on the uptick in drone sightings during a Pentagon press briefing. The Department of Defense (DoD) doubled down on Tuesday, saying the increasing number of possible drones being reported in places like New Jersey and New York are not U.S. military assets, adding that the vast majority of the unmanned aircraft are likely used by hobbyists for recreational purposes. Gen. Pat Ryder fielded numerous questions from reporters about the drones during a press briefing on Tuesday, but he remained clear that the drones are not DoD assets, nor are they part of any experimental programs. He said there are over a million drones registered in the U.S., and on any given day, there could be about 8,500 drones in flight. The vast majority of the drones, Ryder noted, are likely used by hobbyists or are for recreational purposes.