The US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the loss of at least two American unmanned aircraft while claiming that it remains unclear where the drones were brought down and which MQ-1 variants were involved.
Iranian media reported Tuesday that Iranian forces had successfully shot down an American MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating the vulnerability of US unmanned aircraft operating near Iranian territory and the strategically important waterway.
The latest American drone losses add to the growing toll suffered by US unmanned aircraft during Washington’s military aggression against Iran.
Meanwhile, the US military operates the MQ-1 Predator and the larger MQ-1-derived Gray Eagle, both used for surveillance and capable of carrying Hellfire missiles.
If the downed aircraft were Gray Eagles, the more expensive MQ-1 variant, their destruction would represent losses of tens of millions of dollars each.
Separately, citing a Congressional Budget Office report, CBS News reported that the United States has suffered approximately $720 million in losses since launching its military aggression against Iran, following the downing of at least 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones, with the destruction of an MQ-4C Triton adding another estimated $150 million to Washington’s losses.
The repeated destruction of expensive American unmanned aircraft underscores the scale of the losses inflicted on US military assets during its ongoing aggression against Iran.
US Central Command, the US military unit responsible for operations against Iran, declined to comment to CBS News on Thursday.