U.S. Military Says Iran's Air Power Is Weakening as Middle East Conflict Expands

The U.S. military says it is steadily degrading Iran's air capabilities as the conflict across the Middle East grows, even as concerns about potential drone strikes closer to home remain top of mind for many Americans.

U.S. Central Command released aerial video Thursday showing airstrikes targeting Iranian aircraft, posting the footage to its account on X alongside a statement saying American forces are not only defending against Iranian threats but actively working to dismantle them. Reuters was unable to independently verify the location or date of the video, and found no earlier versions of it posted online before March 11th.

The update comes as fighting intensifies following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28th. Since then, hundreds of people have been killed across the Middle East. Gulf states that host U.S. military bases and personnel, along with Lebanon, have quickly become part of the expanding conflict.