Just now! Iran announces: Using new weapons! U.S. military, big news revealed!

U.S. military fighter jets are 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 Iranian fire.

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

Meanwhile, affected by the continued consumption of weapon stockpiles due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, the United States may delay the delivery of around 400 “Tomahawk” cruise missiles that Japan ordered.

Let’s look at the detailed report!

Iran: Used a new weapon

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

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

U.S. President Trump briefly accepted a telephone interview from Britain’s The Independent on the 3rd. When 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 is the first time since Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched large-scale military operations against Iran, that a U.S. military fighter jet has been shot down within Iran. Iran is offering a reward to capture the missing pilot alive.

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

On the 3rd, the chairman of Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, Kalibaf, posted on social media saying, with irony, that a U.S. fighter jet had been shot down by Iran. Kalibaf said that after the enemy claimed to have “defeated Iran 37 times in a row,” this war launched by the U.S. and Israel—“as clever as it is strategically pointless”—has now been downgraded from aiming for “regime change” to: “Hey! Who can find our pilot?”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Public Relations Department issued a statement saying that Iran’s air defense system shot down a U.S. F-35 fighter jet in the airspace over the country’s central region that day. U.S. media reported that Iranian media released a photo of a pilot’s 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 the Tasnim News Agency, on the 4th, it was reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps appointed Hossein Mohebbi as its new spokesperson, replacing Nainy who was killed in the U.S. and Israel attacks on March 20.

The Dubai Media Office said on April 4 that debris generated by an air defense system intercepting the exterior facade of the Oracle company building in Dubai Internet City hit the building, causing minor damage; there were no casualties.

“Tomahawk” missiles may be delayed in delivery

According to sources familiar with the matter, due to the ongoing conflict in Iran continuously depleting the U.S. military’s weapon stockpiles, around 400 “Tomahawk” cruise missiles that Japan had previously ordered from the U.S. may have their delivery delayed.

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, Bloomberg, on the 3rd, cited sources familiar with the matter as saying that the U.S. has notified Japan that it may delay the delivery of the “Tomahawk” cruise missile order, which is expected to be fully delivered by March 2028.

In 2024, Japan and the United States signed a defense sales contract for the purchase of around 400 “Tomahawk” cruise missiles, with the contract value reaching $2.35 billion. In March this year, Japan’s defense minister, Yasukazu Koizumi, said that the “Tomahawk” cruise missiles have begun being delivered to Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.

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

According to Bloomberg, the delay in delivery for this order is directly tied to the U.S. military’s consumption of missiles during military actions in the Middle East. The aforementioned sources estimate that the number of missiles the U.S. has consumed in this conflict so far is already comparable 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 military action against Iran, the U.S. military launched more than 400 sea-based “Tomahawk” cruise missiles, while the U.S. government sometimes purchases only 90 to 100 “Tomahawk” missiles per year.

According to CCTV News, on April 3 local time, the White House formally submitted its FY2027 budget proposal to Congress. The defense budget is as high as $1.5 trillion, an increase of about $445 billion compared with the previous fiscal year, representing a significant jump.

According to the budget documents, about $1.15 trillion is listed for discretionary spending, and at least another $350 billion will be allocated through budget coordination mechanisms to expand the defense industrial base, against the backdrop of the ongoing escalation of 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 ammunition stockpiles, accelerating the advancement of the “Golden Dome” missile defense system proposed by the Trump administration, and increasing investment in key mineral resources and domestic supply chains. In addition, the budget also allocates about $65.8 billion for shipbuilding projects and proposes plans to build 41 vessels, described as the largest scale of shipbuilding demand since the Roosevelt era.

The budget documents point out that the scale of this defense spending is “close to the historic growth level before World War II,” aiming to respond to the current global security threat environment and enhance the readiness and combat capabilities 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 U.S.; the increase in this budget is seen as an important move to strengthen air combat capabilities under the current security situation.

Layout: Liu Junyu

Proofreading: Yang Linlin