Updated

Middle East Eye reported on Friday that the US-Israeli war on Iran has destroyed or depleted more than $1.3bn worth of the US military's MQ-9 Reaper drones, amounting to roughly a quarter of the fleet. The report said US forces have also drawn down critical stocks of standoff munitions and air-defence interceptors during the campaign, raising questions about sustainment of the air war and about readiness in other theatres. The losses point to the effectiveness of Iranian air defences and electronic warfare against slow-flying, non-stealthy unmanned aircraft used for surveillance and strike missions. US Central Command and the Pentagon have not publicly confirmed the figures, and the numbers could not be independently verified. The account adds to a broader debate in Washington over the material costs and duration of the conflict.