US Strikes Iran Air Bases Destroying F-4 & Su-22 Fighter Jets and Shahed-136 Drone Facility.

The U.S. Air Force destroyed Iranian F-4D/E Phantom II fighters, Su-22 attack aircraft, and a Shahed-136 loitering munition depot, a strike confirmed by video released on the U.S. Central Command X account on March 1, 2026. The operation, conducted under Operation Epic Fury, sharply reduces Iran’s ability to generate conventional air sorties and long-range drone attacks across the region.

The U.S. Air Force has destroyed Iranian F-4D/E Phantom II fighters, Su-22 ground attack jets, and a Shahed-136 loitering munition storage site in precision strikes on multiple Iranian air bases as part of Operation Epic Fury, a fact confirmed by video released on the U.S. Central Command X account on March 1, 2026. U.S. defense officials described the strikes as a deliberate effort to degrade operational capability rather than symbolic retaliation, targeting active aircraft and drone infrastructure that support both conventional sorties and asymmetric long-range attacks. The loss of F-4D/E Phantom II and Su-22 platforms reduces Tehran’s available tactical strike inventory. At the same time, the destruction of a Shahed-136 depot undercuts its ability to replenish one-way attack drones used across the Middle East.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Video released by U.S. Central Command on March 1, 2026, and analysed by Army Recognition defense experts confirms U.S. Air Force strikes destroyed Iranian Su-22 ground attack aircraft, F-4D/E Phantom II fighters, and a Shahed-136 loitering munition depot under Operation Epic Fury.  (Picture source: U.S. Central Command X account with editing of Army Recognition Group)

Video footage released on March 1, 2028, through U.S. Central Command’s official X account documents sustained strikes on several Iranian military installations, including at least one primary air force base. U.S. military attribution links the attacks to Operation Epic Fury, an ongoing campaign aimed at neutralizing key components of Iran’s air and drone warfare infrastructure. Frame-by-frame analysis conducted by Army Recognition defense analysts confirms the visible destruction of multiple F-4D/E Phantom II airframes parked on exposed aprons, at least one Su-22 ground attack aircraft positioned within a hardened revetment, and a storage facility assessed to contain Shahed-136 one-way attack drones. Secondary explosions following the initial impacts indicate the presence of stored munitions or fuel, suggesting significant material losses beyond the airframes themselves.

The targeting pattern reflects a deliberate airbase-suppression and capability-denial strategy. Rather than engaging Iranian aircraft in air-to-air combat, U.S. forces struck fixed assets on the ground, directly disrupting sortie generation cycles. Destroying aircraft before takeoff eliminates immediate combat potential while imposing long-term strain on maintenance, logistics, and fleet sustainability. For an air force operating under decades of sanctions and limited access to replacement platforms, each confirmed loss represents a measurable erosion of operational depth.

The F-4D/E Phantom II, although originally fielded in the 1960s, remains one of the most capable multirole aircraft in Iran’s inventory due to sustained local modernization efforts. Tehran has upgraded segments of the fleet with modified avionics and adapted the aircraft for precision strike and maritime interdiction roles, particularly in the Persian Gulf. With substantial payload capacity and range, the Phantom provides Iran with a limited but credible conventional strike and deterrent capability. The destruction of several airframes reduces available heavy strike capacity and narrows Iran’s options for a conventional response in a regional contingency.

The confirmed elimination of Su-22 aircraft further weakens Iran’s tactical aviation structure. The Su-22, derived from the Soviet Su-17 family, is designed for low-altitude penetration and battlefield interdiction with variable-geometry wings optimized for strike missions. Capable of carrying significant ordnance loads, the aircraft has historically provided Iran with dedicated close air support and ground-attack capabilities, including expeditionary applications in regional theaters. Its loss diminishes Iran’s ability to conduct sustained conventional strike operations and reduces redundancy within its aging fleet.

Strategically, the destruction of a Shahed-136 depot carries the most immediate asymmetric implications. The Shahed-136 loitering munition has become central to Iran’s doctrine of distributed, cost-effective long-range precision strike. With an estimated operational range exceeding 1,000 km depending on payload configuration, the system allows Tehran to conduct saturation attacks designed to overwhelm air defenses through volume rather than sophistication. The drone has reshaped regional threat calculations by enabling stand-off attacks without risking manned aircraft. Striking stored inventories under Operation Epic Fury directly reduces launch capacity and disrupts near-term operational tempo, limiting Iran’s ability to execute coordinated mass drone salvos.

Operationally, the strikes' success highlights the continued U.S. dominance in precision engagement against defended infrastructure. Iranian air bases are protected by layered air defense systems that combine domestically produced surface-to-air missiles with Russian-origin platforms such as the S-300 series. The effective targeting of aircraft in hardened or semi-protected positions suggests either successful suppression of enemy air defenses or the use of advanced stand-off munitions capable of penetrating defended zones from extended range. In both scenarios, the strikes demonstrate the ability to hold critical military infrastructure at risk without prolonged exposure.

Within the broader framework of Operation Epic Fury, the campaign appears structured to dismantle Iran’s integrated strike ecosystem in parallel tracks. By degrading both legacy fixed-wing aviation and modern loitering munition stockpiles, U.S. forces are compressing Tehran’s escalation ladder. The removal of conventional strike aircraft reduces visible state-on-state response options, while damage to drone infrastructure constrains asymmetric retaliation pathways that have defined Iran’s regional strategy.

Industrial implications are also significant. Iran’s ability to regenerate F-4 or Su-22 fighter jets is extremely limited, given age, parts scarcity, and sanctions. While Shahed-136 production can be more readily dispersed through decentralized manufacturing networks, the destruction of centralized storage depots introduces logistical friction and delays operational deployment. Rebuilding inventory under sustained pressure would require time, resources, and secure infrastructure.

Whether Operation Epic Fury represents the opening phase of a broader, sustained air campaign or a calibrated but limited capability-reduction effort remains uncertain. However, the confirmed destruction of F-4D/E Phantom II fighters, Su-22 ground attack aircraft, and Shahed-136 drones marks a tangible and strategically relevant degradation of Iran’s combined conventional and asymmetric airpower architecture.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.