Iran Pulls Off Battlefield Surprises For US (S01E44)

Saturday, April 4, 2026, IstanbulFor weeks US and Israeli officials have been telling nervous domestic audiences that their war against Iran was going swimmingly. As much as 90% of Iran’s ability to fire missiles had been eroded and the country had no air defences, air force, or navy to speak of, they contended. But on Friday, two US military aircraft were shot down by Iranian forces, including an F-15E fighter jet in which the two pilots managed to eject. One was rescued and another remains unfound, with Iranians putting up a bounty to encourage local nomadic tribes to find him.An A-10 Warthog was also shot down, with the pilot secured. All this as well as continued missile and drone barrages directed at Israel and the US’s Gulf allies have raised questions about how honest US and Israeli officials have been about Iran’s capacity to deliver counterstrikes and defend its territory.I spoke recently about how much people whether the US and Israelis should be taken at their word, as well about the US and Israeli war aims, and the rifts in the Iranian diaspora community with India’s NewsX. badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe