TEHRAN -- The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Saturday announced the destruction of 11 American fighter jets and helicopters over 15 days of combat, from July 17 to July 31.
IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Mohbi detailed the scale of Iran’s retaliatory strikes against U.S. military assets in the region in remarks carried by the IRGC’s official news portal.
The operations destroyed 17 reconnaissance and operational drones, including eight that were brand new, one F-15 fighter jet inside its shelter, one P-8 aircraft, one C-17 transport aircraft, and eight refueling aircraft.
The announcement represents a significant blow to American military capabilities in the region, demonstrating the precision and effectiveness of Iran’s retaliatory operations against U.S. military infrastructure. 
The destruction of aircraft on the ground, while sheltered, indicates Iran’s ability to penetrate U.S. air defenses and strike high-value targets with devastating accuracy.
Muhammad-Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued a stark warning in a message released on Saturday: “Every column of smoke in the region means that a U.S. military, security, or financial center has been targeted.”
Zolghadr declared that the “continuous and targeted strikes” by Iranian fighters represent “the lashes of the anger of the awakened Iranian nation upon the back of the system of domination” and will continue “until the enemy’s total surrender and revenge is taken for the blood of the oppressed children of Minab and Lamerd, God willing.”
The reference to the children of Minab and Lamerd highlights the human cost of U.S. aggression against Iran. The U.S. military has conducted air raids across the country for 13 consecutive nights, targeting civilian sites including telecommunication infrastructure, bridges and water desalination plants, martyring 55 people and injuring 645 others. 
The killing of innocent children in these strikes has become a rallying cry for the Iranian nation, galvanizing support for the armed forces’ retaliatory operations.
On June 17, Iran and the U.S. signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a comprehensive agreement brokered by Pakistan to end the war across all fronts.  
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an extensive interview with Iran daily, detailed the U.S. violations of the memorandum. He emphasized that Article 5 of the agreement explicitly states that Iran would make arrangements to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within one month, with services provided free of charge for 60 days. “The text is completely clear,” Araghchi stated.
“The U.S. opened a separate route, which is not consistent with the provisions of this article,” Araghchi explained. “They could have consulted with Iran if a corridor was to be added or removed, as this decision should have been made in consultation with Iran and in accordance with Article 5.”
Araghchi noted that the U.S. began promoting the alternative southern route approximately ten days after the strait was reopened, well before the one-month period had elapsed. “This action was really malicious,” he said. 
“They could have allowed the provisions of Article 5 to take their natural course and then, at the end of the specified period, assess whether conditions had proceeded in an orderly manner according to the agreement.”
The foreign minister revealed that Iran repeatedly warned the U.S. through a direct communication line established in Switzerland. 
“I myself spoke with them several times, both directly and through Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries, and emphasized that if they had any concerns or problems, they should wait 15 more days to see whether Iran fully implemented its commitments,” Araghchi stated.
Despite these warnings, the U.S. persisted in its violations. “We saw no sign of goodwill in American behavior,” Araghchi said. 
“It seemed their intention was to push conditions toward tension, or perhaps they thought they could diminish Iran’s sovereignty and management over the Strait of Hormuz.”
Following Iranian retaliatory strikes targeting American military positions, satellite imagery confirms the U.S. has withdrawn warplanes and military equipment from two critical installations: Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
According to Sentinel-2 satellite images, five American military aircraft visible at Al Dhafra base three days earlier no longer appear in the latest imagery, suggesting a rapid withdrawal of key assets. 
The images similarly show that Al Udeid Air Base — the largest U.S. military installation in West Asia and home to CENTCOM’s forward headquarters — has been largely evacuated.
Al Dhafra Air Base, located south of Abu Dhabi, hosts the U.S. Air Force’s 380th Air Expeditionary Wing and serves as a major hub for reconnaissance missions, aerial refueling operations, and regional air warfare. 
Al Udeid Air Base, west of Doha, hosts the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the US Air Force’s 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, making it one of Washington’s most important command, logistics, and operational centers in the region.
Both bases played central roles during the U.S.-Israeli military aggression against Iran and were used to support operations after the war resumed earlier this month. The withdrawal of American aircraft from these facilities represents a strategic victory for Iran, forcing the U.S. to abandon key installations and redeploy its forces to safer locations.
Foreign Minister Araghchi emphasized that Iran’s actions are conducted entirely within the framework of legitimate self-defense. 
“We were defending ourselves and were forced to defend ourselves in the face of aggression. The situation is exactly the same now,” he stated.
Araghchi explained that Iran maintains continuous contact with regional countries, explaining that Iran has no hostility toward them. However, he noted that Iran is “aggrieved” that during the 40-day war and even
 afterward, capabilities of some regional countries were made available to the U.S. or used by Washington against Iran.
The foreign minister expressed hope that after the current tensions subside, the region would enter a period of trust-building. 
“We are neighbors and will remain neighbors,” he said, noting that a collective understanding has emerged in the region that security and stability must be ensured collectively, without reliance on external powers.
“The presence of American bases has not brought more security and stability to them, but in some cases has become a factor against security,” Araghchi said.
The Broader Regional Conflict and Yemen
Araghchi also addressed the situation regarding the Bab el-Mandab Strait, noting that Yemen’s actions are rooted in the longstanding siege imposed by Saudi Arabia on that country. 
“Yemen is under blockade, and the action that the Yemenis are taking, according to them, is to break this blockade,” he said.
He emphasized that “the root of the problems in Yemen cannot be attributed to Iran,” describing the Yemen crisis as a long-standing one that has not been resolved through military means. 
“Our recommendation has always been that the issue of Yemen should be resolved through dialogue,” he said.
“The knot of Yemen can be untied by hand — that is, through diplomacy and dialogue — and there is no need for tension and military confrontations,” Araghchi stated, expressing Iran’s readiness to play a constructive role in facilitating dialogue between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.