Iran Claims July Military Campaign Inflicted Heavy Damage on U.S. Assets, Pressured Washington Back to Diplomacy
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi, said on Saturday evening in remarks carried by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency that Iranian forces conducted a series of military operations between July 8 and July 22, which he claimed inflicted significant losses on U.S. military infrastructure and contributed to Washington’s decision to return to diplomatic engagement
According to Mohebbi, the operations targeted a broad range of U.S. military assets and critical support facilities. He alleged that Iranian strikes hit Patriot air defense systems, radar installations, command-and-control centers, satellite communications infrastructure, logistics hubs, fuel storage facilities, and missile sites.
The IRGC spokesperson further claimed that Iranian missile and drone attacks struck aircraft shelters and aviation facilities housing both unmanned and manned aircraft. Among the aircraft he listed were F-15 fighter jets, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, military helicopters, and aerial refueling aircraft used to support combat operations.
Mohebbi argued that the cumulative impact of these operations demonstrated Iran’s military capabilities and played a decisive role in compelling the United States to pursue diplomacy rather than continued military confrontation.
The United States has not publicly confirmed the claims made by the IRGC spokesperson, and the extent of the alleged damage has not been independently verified. Iran’s statements come amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing the risk of further escalation.