Just now! Iran announces: using new weapons! U.S. military reveals big news!

U.S. military fighter jets were hit one after another by Iran!

On April 3 local time, two U.S. military aircraft were shot down by Iran, and another two “Black Hawk” helicopters were hit by Iran’s firepower.

That day, a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Command of Iran’s armed forces said that U.S. military aircraft were shot down in Iran by an advanced air defense system newly developed by Iran. The air defense system is operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and is under the control of the country’s integrated air defense network.

At the same time, affected by the ongoing consumption of its weapon stockpiles due to the fighting in Iran, the United States may delay delivery of about 400 “Tomahawk” cruise missiles ordered by Japan.

Let’s look at the detailed report!

Iran: It used a new weapon

According to CCTV International News reports, on April 3 local time, a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Command of Iran’s armed forces said that after the United States released false claims that Iran’s air defense system had been completely destroyed, U.S. military aircraft were shot down in Iran by the newly developed advanced air defense system. The air defense system is operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and is under the control of the country’s integrated air defense network.

That day, a U.S. Air Force F-15E fighter crashed in Iran, and the U.S. immediately deployed multiple military aircraft to search for and rescue two crew members in Iran; as of now, one of them has been found. According to reports by U.S. media, in another incident that same day, a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft was also hit by Iran, and the pilot ejected to escape. Two “Black Hawk” helicopters tasked with searching for the U.S. F-15E fighter that crashed in Iran came under fire from Iran; although they were hit, they ultimately succeeded in withdrawing from Iranian airspace.

On April 3, U.S. President Trump briefly accepted a phone interview with the British newspaper The Independent, when he was asked how the U.S. would respond if the pilot were captured or harmed in Iran. Trump said, “I can’t say, because—we hope that situation won’t happen.” After that, he ended the call quickly.

This was the first time since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran, that a U.S. military fighter jet was shot down within Iran. Iran has been offering a reward for capturing the missing pilot alive.

Some U.S. media outlets noted that the U.S. lost two fighter jets in one day—still less than 48 hours after Trump claimed during a nationwide television address that the military action against Iran had achieved “quick, decisive, overwhelming victory.”

On April 3, the chairman of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, Kalibaf, posted on social media stating that it was ironic that a U.S. fighter jet was shot down by Iran. Kalibaf said that after the enemy claimed “37 consecutive times of defeating Iran,” this war launched by the United States and Israel—“slick-looking but lacking any strategy”—has now been downgraded from aiming for “regime change” to: “Hey! Who can find our pilot?”

The public relations department of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement saying that on the same day, Iran’s air defense system shot down a U.S. F-35 fighter in the airspace over the central part of the country. U.S. media reported that Iranian media released a photo of a pilot ejection seat that had landed on the ground and was already damaged. Based on this, military analysts judged that it was an F-15E fighter jet.

Regarding the latest developments in Iran’s situation, according to multiple Iranian media outlets including Tasnim News Agency, on April 4, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps appointed Hossein Mohhеби as the new spokesperson, replacing Naini, who was killed in U.S. and Israeli attacks on March 20.

A Dubai media office said on April 4 that debris generated by the interception of an air defense system hitting the exterior facade of the Oracle Company building in Dubai Internet City caused minor damage to the building, with no casualties.

“Tomahawk” missiles may be delayed in delivery

According to sources familiar with the matter who told U.S. media, due to the ongoing fighting in Iran continuously depleting the U.S. military’s weapons stockpiles, about 400 “Tomahawk” cruise missiles Japan previously ordered from the United States may be delayed in delivery.

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, citing information from a source familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported on April 3 that the U.S. side had notified Japan that it may delay delivery of the “Tomahawk” cruise missile order, which is expected to have all missiles delivered by March 2028.

Japan and the United States signed a military sales contract in 2024, ordering about 400 “Tomahawk” cruise missiles, with a contract value as high as $2.35 billion. In March this year, Japan’s Defense Minister Yasuhiro Koizumi said that “Tomahawk” cruise missiles have started being delivered to the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

Sources familiar with the matter said that before launching military action against Iran, the U.S. military’s inventory contained a total of about 4,000 “Tomahawk” cruise missiles of various models. In 2025, Raytheon produced about 100 new “Tomahawk” missiles, while also upgrading about 240 older “Tomahawk” missiles to the latest standard.

According to Bloomberg, the delay in delivery of this order is directly linked to the consumption of U.S. military operations in the Middle East. The sources familiar with the matter estimate that the number of missiles consumed by the U.S. so far in this conflict is already equivalent to more than two years’ worth of production.

Meanwhile, according to media reports including the U.S. National Security Magazine, during the first three days of the military operation against Iran, the U.S. launched more than 400 sea-based “Tomahawk” cruise missiles, while in some cases the U.S. government purchases only 90 to 100 “Tomahawk” missiles per year.

According to a report by CCTV News, on April 3 local time, the White House officially submitted its budget proposal for fiscal year 2027 to Congress. The defense budget is as high as $1.5 trillion, an increase of about $445 billion over the previous fiscal year, representing a significant rise.

According to the budget documents, about $1.15 trillion is listed as discretionary spending, and at least another $350 billion will be put through budget coordination mechanisms to expand the defense industrial base, against a backdrop of the ongoing escalation of the military conflict surrounding Iran. At the same time, the government plans to cut $73 billion in non-defense spending.

In terms of specific spending directions, the budget includes increasing key munitions stockpiles, accelerating the advancement of the “Aegis” missile defense system proposed by the Trump administration, and increasing investment in critical mineral resources and domestic supply chains. In addition, the budget also allocates about $65.8 billion for shipbuilding projects and proposes a plan to build 41 vessels, described as the largest shipbuilding demand since the Roosevelt era.

The budget documents state that the scale of this defense spending is “close to the historic increase level before World War II,” aiming to address the current global security threat environment and enhance the readiness and combat capability of U.S. forces.

The budget documents show that the U.S. Department of Defense plans to procure 85 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, a substantial increase from the 47 jets requested in the previous fiscal year. The F-35 program is currently the largest defense procurement project in the United States, and this budget increase is seen as an important measure to strengthen air combat capabilities under the current security situation.

（Source: Guanshang China）