The Qatari Ministry of Defense announced that the Qatar Emiri Air Force shot down two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 tactical bombers on March 2, 2026, marking the first confirmed losses of Iranian aircraft since the beginning of the offensive.
According to the statement, Qatari forces also intercepted seven ballistic missiles with air defense systems and shot down five drones with naval support, while attacks against energy facilities in Mesaieed and Ras Laffan are still being evaluated for damage.
The Qatari government did not specify which means were used to neutralize the Iranian fighter jets, but the air force operates advanced models such as the F-15QA Ababil, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale, in addition to Patriot and NASAMS systems. If the F-15QA was responsible for the shootdown, the combat history of the F-15 family in air-to-air engagements would be expanded. Meanwhile, a British Typhoon deployed in Qatar had already destroyed an Iranian drone on March 1.
The third day of Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion was also marked by American losses. The United States Central Command confirmed the loss of three F-15E Strike Eagle over Kuwait in an apparent case of friendly fire, as well as the use of B-1B Lancer bombers in deep strikes against Iranian targets linked to the ballistic missile program. The number of U.S. service members killed in the operation rose to six, according to the command.
At sea, the U.S. claims to have destroyed 11 Iranian vessels, including the drone carrier ship Shahid Bagheri. Meanwhile, images indicate intensive MQ-9 Reaper drone operations over Iran after the U.S. and Israel declared local air superiority. Videos also circulated showing actions by the Israel Defense Forces against missiles over Tehran, signaling that the conflict has entered a phase of direct confrontations and regional expansion.
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Source: The Aviationist | Photo: X @front_ukrainian | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
❗️Two Iranian Su-24s were shot down by Qatari Air Force aircraft, according to a statement from the Qatari Ministry of Defense. pic.twitter.com/EYL3WdWSDf
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) March 2, 2026
— وزارة الدفاع – دولة قطر (@MOD_Qatar) March 2, 2026
