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Satellite images capture airstrikes reducing Iran's vintage American-made F-14 Tomcats to wreckage
Summary
New satellite imagery shows several of Iran's F-14s destroyed by recent airstrikes.
Iran is the sole remaining operator of the iconic, American-made Tomcat fighter jet.
The Israeli military said it targeted Iran's F-14 fleet over the weekend.
New satellite imagery shows several destroyed American-made F-14 fighter jets at an Iranian airbase that was recently targeted by Israeli strikes.
The images, collected on Monday by the US spatial intelligence firm Vantor and obtained by Business Insider, show visible wreckage of at least two F-14 Tomcats on the apron at the 8th Tactical Air Base in Isfahan, a city in central Iran.
The base is a hub for the Iranian Air Force's fleet of vintage F-14s. An image collected on February 22, before the conflict, shows dispersed Tomcats and what Vantor identified as F-7s, the export variant of the Chinese Chengdu J-7.
At least two of the F-14s were destroyed by airstrikes — one of the jets was completely replaced by a massive scorch mark. Several F-7s were also attacked.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its forces carried out airstrikes at the Isfahan airport, targeting an undisclosed number of F-14 fighter jets two days after it bombed more than a dozen Iranian aircraft at the Mehrabad airport in Tehran.
Israel previously attacked Iran's aging F-14 fleet during the June 2025 war between the two countries.
Iran is the only remaining operator of the F-14, a legacy multi-role fighter jet manufactured by the American firm formerly known as Grumman Aerospace Corporation, now the defense giant Northrop Grumman.
The fighter jet, designed for carrier launch, was introduced by the US Navy in the 1970s and flew combat missions for decades until 2006, when the Pentagon replaced the F-14 with the F/A-18 Super Hornet. The Tomcat remained a celebrated aircraft, though, thanks in part to its appearance in the 1986 and 2022 "Top Gun" movies.
The US sold nearly 80 F-14s to Iran in the years before the 1979 Iranian revolution ended what was once a partnership between the two countries. In the years since, Tehran's fleet has slowly declined as maintenance and logistical challenges grew. It is now believed to have only a few dozen left, though the exact figure is uncertain.
International sanctions and embargoes have rendered Iran's air force largely obsolete. It's a hodgepodge of American-made jets like F-14s and F-5s and Soviet-era planes such as Su-24s and MiG-29s. It's limited airpower has forced Tehran to rely on ballistic missiles and attack drones to project power.
The US and Israel have heavily targeted Iranian aircraft, as well as its ballistic missile and drone capabilities, since they began their intensive bombing campaign on February 28. Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, said American forces alone had struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran as of Wednesday.
American military leadership has assessed that Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks across the Middle East have decreased by 90% and 83%, respectively, since the war began.
The war has left hundreds of people dead inside Iran and across the wider Middle East and has upended regional travel and oil markets.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Wall Street continues to be buffeted by the winds of war, as the effects of the Iran war are being seen through widespread volatility.
President Trump says the war in Iran will be over soon and bring quick relief at the gas pump. History suggests that any eventual return to normalcy will likely be a drawn-out process.
Here's what the latest inflation report means for your spending power, as households brace for Iran-driven price shocks in the months ahead.
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The UK and Australia aren't the only places cracking down.
Iran is the sole remaining operator of the iconic, American-made Tomcat fighter jet.
The Israeli military said it targeted Iran's F-14 fleet over the weekend.
New satellite imagery shows several destroyed American-made F-14 fighter jets at an Iranian airbase that was recently targeted by Israeli strikes.
The images, collected on Monday by the US spatial intelligence firm Vantor and obtained by Business Insider, show visible wreckage of at least two F-14 Tomcats on the apron at the 8th Tactical Air Base in Isfahan, a city in central Iran.
The base is a hub for the Iranian Air Force's fleet of vintage F-14s. An image collected on February 22, before the conflict, shows dispersed Tomcats and what Vantor identified as F-7s, the export variant of the Chinese Chengdu J-7.
At least two of the F-14s were destroyed by airstrikes — one of the jets was completely replaced by a massive scorch mark. Several F-7s were also attacked.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its forces carried out airstrikes at the Isfahan airport, targeting an undisclosed number of F-14 fighter jets two days after it bombed more than a dozen Iranian aircraft at the Mehrabad airport in Tehran.
Israel previously attacked Iran's aging F-14 fleet during the June 2025 war between the two countries.
Iran is the only remaining operator of the F-14, a legacy multi-role fighter jet manufactured by the American firm formerly known as Grumman Aerospace Corporation, now the defense giant Northrop Grumman.
The fighter jet, designed for carrier launch, was introduced by the US Navy in the 1970s and flew combat missions for decades until 2006, when the Pentagon replaced the F-14 with the F/A-18 Super Hornet. The Tomcat remained a celebrated aircraft, though, thanks in part to its appearance in the 1986 and 2022 "Top Gun" movies.
The US sold nearly 80 F-14s to Iran in the years before the 1979 Iranian revolution ended what was once a partnership between the two countries. In the years since, Tehran's fleet has slowly declined as maintenance and logistical challenges grew. It is now believed to have only a few dozen left, though the exact figure is uncertain.
International sanctions and embargoes have rendered Iran's air force largely obsolete. It's a hodgepodge of American-made jets like F-14s and F-5s and Soviet-era planes such as Su-24s and MiG-29s. It's limited airpower has forced Tehran to rely on ballistic missiles and attack drones to project power.
The US and Israel have heavily targeted Iranian aircraft, as well as its ballistic missile and drone capabilities, since they began their intensive bombing campaign on February 28. Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, said American forces alone had struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran as of Wednesday.
American military leadership has assessed that Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks across the Middle East have decreased by 90% and 83%, respectively, since the war began.
The war has left hundreds of people dead inside Iran and across the wider Middle East and has upended regional travel and oil markets.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Wall Street continues to be buffeted by the winds of war, as the effects of the Iran war are being seen through widespread volatility.
President Trump says the war in Iran will be over soon and bring quick relief at the gas pump. History suggests that any eventual return to normalcy will likely be a drawn-out process.
Here's what the latest inflation report means for your spending power, as households brace for Iran-driven price shocks in the months ahead.
Treating oil like the next momentum chase can be a costly mistake. Here's why.
Kerr acknowledged the financial sacrifice shortening the season would take, but he doubled down on what he believes is best for the league's product.
Some families think the latest Disney-Pixar release is cute.
The Cardinals are in full rebuild mode but should enjoy top prospect JJ Wetherholt's debut this season.
The men's Big East Basketball tournament is this week, here's how to tune in to every game.
Meta is acquiring Moltbook, the viral AI social network that first attracted attention last month as AI agents interacted with one another.
The UK and Australia aren't the only places cracking down.
AI Description
The article discusses the impact of recent airstrikes on Iran's F-14 Tomcat fleet, highlighting the strategic significance of these jets. It underscores the geopolitical tensions in the region, with Israel targeting these iconic aircraft.