For months, Americans were told the conflict with Iran was under control.

The White House projected strength. Pentagon officials insisted operations were succeeding. Donald Trump framed the war effort as proof of American dominance and military superiority.

But now, a devastating new congressional report is tearing that narrative apart — revealing what critics are calling one of the most expensive and concealed military disasters in recent U.S. history.

According to findings from the Congressional Research Service, the true scale of America’s losses during the Iran conflict may be far worse than the public ever realized.

The report estimates that as many as 42 American aerial vehicles — including fighter jets, drones, helicopters, surveillance aircraft, and refueling tankers — were either damaged or completely destroyed during the fighting.

And the financial cost is staggering.

Billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars may have vanished into a war that officials never fully explained to the public.

Among the most alarming revelations was the destruction of a Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft — one of the most strategically important surveillance platforms in the U.S. Air Force arsenal.

The aircraft was reportedly struck by an Iranian drone while stationed on the ground in Saudi Arabia.

Replacing just one E-3 Sentry could cost roughly $700 million.

And America only has a small number of them.

The report also details the shocking loss of multiple F-15E Strike Eagles, including aircraft destroyed during a disastrous “friendly fire” incident over Kuwait.

Others were reportedly downed during combat operations deep inside Iranian territory, triggering dangerous rescue missions involving U.S. special operations forces.

In one dramatic recovery operation, the military allegedly destroyed two of its own MC-130J Commando II aircraft — each worth over $100 million — during efforts to rescue stranded pilots.

The losses did not stop there.

A stealth F-35A Lightning II fighter jet valued at nearly $100 million was reportedly damaged during the conflict.

An A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft was destroyed.

Seven KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft — the flying gas stations essential for long-range air operations — were also listed among the damaged or destroyed equipment.

But perhaps most shocking of all was the enormous drone toll.

The report estimates that at least 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones were lost during the fighting.

Each one costs around $30 million.

In addition, the Pentagon reportedly lost an MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone valued at roughly $240 million — one of the most expensive unmanned aircraft ever built.

Only about 20 Tritons exist in active service.

The mounting losses are now fueling growing accusations that the administration deliberately downplayed the true cost of the war.

Pentagon officials initially told Congress the conflict had cost approximately $25 billion.

Weeks later, the estimate suddenly climbed to $29 billion.

Now, officials familiar with internal government assessments reportedly believe the real number may already be approaching a jaw-dropping $50 billion.

Critics say the public was never given a transparent accounting of the damage because the numbers would have triggered political outrage.

And the human cost has been equally horrifying.

According to the report, 13 American service members have been killed during the fighting so far, while more than 350 others have reportedly been injured.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred after a strike on Port Shuaiba in Kuwait, where six American troops lost their lives.

Among them was Master Sgt. Nicole Amor.

Questions are now exploding over whether commanders ignored warnings about inadequate drone defenses before the attack occurred.

A CBS News interview with survivors reportedly revealed that additional medical supplies had been requested in the weeks leading up to the strike — requests that allegedly failed to receive sufficient attention.

“This was a failure,” Maj. Stephen Ramsbottom told CBS while discussing Amor’s death. “She could have been saved.”

The emotional statement intensified outrage among critics already accusing the administration of prioritizing political messaging over troop safety.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, however, has fiercely rejected accusations of mismanagement.

During testimony before Congress, Hegseth lashed out at critics and blamed what he called “reckless” and “defeatist” attacks from Democrats and some Republicans.

But as more details emerge, the administration is facing increasing pressure to explain why so much information about the conflict remained hidden for so long.

Meanwhile, the devastation inside Iran has been catastrophic.

Iranian officials now claim that more than 3,400 people have been killed in the conflict, with victims ranging in age from infants to elderly civilians.

As the numbers continue rising, so do fears that the war may become a defining political crisis for Trump’s presidency.

What began as promises of strength and deterrence is now turning into something far darker:

A brutal war with mounting casualties, missing transparency, exploding costs — and a growing sense that Americans were never told the full truth.