Media: After Five Weeks, U.S. Comes to Understand Iran’s Tough Tactics
The military operation launched by the United States in conjunction with Israel against Iran has swept across the Middle East and impacted the entire world, now lasting for five weeks.
According to the latest statistics released by the U.S. Department of War, as of April 3, a total of 13 American military personnel have been killed and 365 others injured during the five-week conflict.
Of the injured U.S. service members, breakdown by branch includes 247 Army personnel, 63 Navy personnel, 19 Marines, and 36 Air Force personnel. However, it remains unclear whether these figures include personnel involved in the crash of two U.S. aircraft on April 3.
According to CNN, an F-15 fighter jet and an A-10 attack aircraft crashed separately earlier on April 3, increasing the confirmed number of manned military aircraft destroyed since the war began to seven. Two pilots ejected from the aircraft; one was rescued, while the other remains missing. A Black Hawk helicopter participating in the rescue mission was hit, managed to return but suffered injuries to its crew. Subsequently, another A-10 attack aircraft crashed, with its pilot safely rescued. The Iranian Armed Forces announced that they shot down the A-10.
The consecutive losses of U.S. aircraft mark the first confirmed case of U.S. military planes being brought down inside enemy airspace since the outbreak of the Iran conflict on February 28 (in early March, three F-15s were accidentally shot down in Kuwait). Prior to this, the U.S. and Israel had largely enjoyed unrestricted access to Iranian airspace.
A retired U.S. Air Force officer, speaking anonymously, stated that control of the skies does not eliminate threats—it only means the threat is insufficient to hinder operations. Combat environments always carry risks, and even with air superiority, aircraft can still be shot down. Despite the U.S. declaring full air dominance and having destroyed Iran's military capabilities, Iran still retains a certain level of fighting power, prolonging the conflict and inflicting sustained pain on its opponent.
The Wall Street Journal noted that multiple U.S. aircraft being struck today has sparked doubts about how much Iran’s military strength has actually been degraded and questioned the effectiveness of the intense U.S.-Israel airstrikes, undermining the achievements claimed by President Trump and senior government officials.
Federico Borsari, researcher with the Transatlantic Defense and Security Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), said Iran’s resilience stems from its underground missile cities, tunnels, and widespread shelters. It is likely that some of Iran’s air defense systems remain operational and hidden across various locations nationwide. The Iranian air defense forces may have used the Khordad-3 medium-range surface-to-air missile system to shoot down U.S. aircraft. These systems are mounted on wheeled vehicles, making them mobile and easy to conceal.
The New York Times pointed out that Iran has kept most of its arsenal hidden underground, enabling it to preserve combat capability despite recent heavy bombing. Furthermore, U.S. intelligence indicates that although underground shelters and launch silos appear damaged on the surface, Iran can quickly excavate buried missiles and re-launch them.
The New York Times also noted that in addition to shooting down and damaging multiple U.S. military aircraft within a single day, Iran has recently demonstrated a significant capacity for retaliation—continuing to launch waves of missiles and drones toward Israel and Persian Gulf states, destroying U.S. aircraft stationed at Saudi Arabian bases, and attacking a power station and desalination facility in Kuwait.
U.S. intelligence agencies believe Iran is increasingly burying more launchers in shelters and caverns to avoid attacks. U.S. officials say Iran aims to preserve its missile-launching capabilities as long as possible to prolong the war and maintain pressure. This allows Iran, despite a reduced arsenal and more cautious use of weapons, to continue launching attacks against Israel.
Some current and former U.S. officials revealed that Iran fires approximately 20 missiles daily toward Israel, typically launching one or two at a time. Another Western official stated that Iran launches between 15 to 30 ballistic missiles and 50 to 100 suicide drones each day.
Central News Agency summarized: Iran’s tactics are tough to deal with—not aiming to win, but to wear down the opponent.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1861610629558272/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author