President Donald Trump has stated that four of five US Air Force refuelling planes damaged in an Iranian missile strike in Saudi Arabia are already back in service. The aircraft were hit at Prince Sultan air base, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal. No casualties were reported from the attack.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticised the “Fake News Media” for its coverage of the ongoing US-Iran conflict, insisting the planes were not destroyed. “Four of the five had virtually no damage, and are already back in service. One had slightly more damage, but will be in the air shortly,” he wrote.
The Wall Street Journal reported that at least seven Air Force refuelling planes have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict. A spokesperson for US Central Command declined to discuss battle damage assessments, stating they are “not discussing battle damage assessments”.
The news follows the crash of a US KC-135 refuelling plane over western Iran, which killed all six crew members. US Central Command confirmed the loss was not due to hostile or friendly fire, and an investigation is ongoing. Since the conflict began on 28 February, at least 13 US service members have been killed and over 140 injured, with eight still listed as severely injured.
Public opinion appears divided, with a recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll showing 56% of Americans oppose the administration’s military campaign. A Quinnipiac University survey found 53% oppose military action against Iran, and 74% are against deploying ground troops.
