The Qatari MoD says the Qatar Emiri Air Pressure has shot down two Iranian Su-24s, in addition to seven ballistic missiles and 5 drones.
Because the third day of fight operations towards Iran attracts to an finish, the Qatari Ministry of Protection has introduced that the Qatar Emiri Air Pressure (QEAF) has shot down two Iranian Su-24 Fencer tactical bombers on Mar. 2, 2026. These could be first two Iranian plane confirmed to have been shot down because the begin of the battle.
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— وزارة الدفاع – دولة قطر (@MOD_Qatar) March 2, 2026
Moreover, the MoD says the QEAF intercepted seven ballistic missiles by means of air defenses, whereas 5 drones have been shot down by the QEAF and the Qatar Emiri Navy Forces. Earlier on the identical day, the MoD disclosed that two drones focused an influence plant in Mesaieed and an power facility in Ras Laffan Industrial Metropolis, with harm but to be assessed.
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— وزارة الدفاع – دولة قطر (@MOD_Qatar) March 2, 2026
It’s unclear which particular property have been used to intercept the 2 Su-24s, missiles and drones. Using air defenses was solely explicitly talked about for the ballistic missiles, which would depart open the potential of fighter plane being concerned.
The QEAF operates three totally different fighter jets: the F-15QA Ababil, the Eurofighter Storm and the Dassault Rafale. It’s price noting that the service additionally operates the nation’s surface-to-air missile techniques, which embody Patriot and NASAMS techniques.
QEAF operates F-15QA, Rafale, and Storm. Eagle bros we’d doubtlessly be up… 106-0???📸: Ashley Wallace pic.twitter.com/Jv4q3OsWfi
— Doha (@Doha1389960) March 2, 2026
Ought to the F-15QA have been the asset employed to shoot down the Su-24s, the fight report of the F-15 would improve much more, reaching 106-0 air-to-air kills. Notably, F-15QAs have been lively because the starting of the assault on Iran, and at the very least one was noticed on flight monitoring web sites.
Over 50,000 at present monitoring this F-15QA Ababil of the Qatar Emiri AF pic.twitter.com/PUqfh1awnM
— RivetJoint (@SpeckleBelly64) March 1, 2026
One other asset which has been flying air protection missions in the previous few days, and will probably have been used towards the Su-24s, is the Eurofighter Storm. Furthermore, on Mar. 1, a Royal Air Pressure Storm FGR4 fighter deployed to Qatar with the joint British-Qatari No. 12 squadron shot down with an air-to-air missile an Iranian drone that was headed in direction of Qatar.
At the moment, a Royal Air Pressure Storm working from Qatar as a part of the joint UK–Qatar Storm Squadron, efficiently took out an Iranian drone heading in direction of Qatar. pic.twitter.com/1WQTRk61gN
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 1, 2026
Concerning the explanation for which Iranian Su-24s have been flying in direction of Qatar, no particulars have been disclosed. Iranian state media earlier claimed that the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Pressure’s F-4E Phantom II fighter jets and different plane could be used to bomb U.S. bases within the area as retaliation.
Third day
The third day of Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion has seen many new notable developments.
The primary information of the day was the lack of three U.S. Air Pressure F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets over Kuwait. Movies emerged on-line present one of many fighters hit by an explosion, earlier than spiraling in direction of the bottom.
All six crew members ejected safely and have been recovered. CENTCOM says the plane have been misplaced as a result of an obvious pleasant hearth incident, which is now being investigated.
At 11:03 p.m. ET, March 1, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles flying in help of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait as a result of an obvious pleasant hearth incident.
Learn extra:
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026
Few hours later, CENTCOM additionally confirmed that B-1B Lancer strategic bombers have been employed towards targets in Iran within the night time between Mar. 1 and a couple of. Actions have been quietly tracked by fans, revealing – whereas the plane have been on their method again to the U.S. – that three bombers have been concerned in a round-trip mission.
In a put up on social media, CENTCOM said that the bombers have been employed to strike “deep inside Iran to degrade Iranian ballistic missile capabilities.” The command didn’t present particulars concerning the variety of bombers and the weapons employed, though the latter are believed to be GBU-31(V)3/B JDAM bombs based mostly on the two,000 lb BLU-109/B bunker buster.
#OperationEpicFury #FreeIran“OPERATION EPIC FURY” BOMBER MISSION #2I can verify that 3x B-1B “Lancer” bombers from Ellsworth AFB have carried out strikes towards Iran regime targets in a single day after a continuous flight from the US. That is the second bombing mission we… pic.twitter.com/kMZfroiiIu
— DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 (@DefenceGeek) March 2, 2026
Persevering with with the updates from CENTCOM, the command has introduced that the variety of U.S. service members killed in motion has risen to 6. Quite a few service members has been beforehand reported as injured.
CENTCOM Replace
TAMPA, Fla. – As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six U.S. service members have been killed in motion. U.S. forces lately recovered the stays of two beforehand unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck throughout Iran’s preliminary assaults within the area.…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026
The Iranian Shahid Bagheri drone provider has been recognized as one of many 11 naval vessels destroyed by the U.S. army. The provider, a transformed container ship, was delivered to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval fleet in 2025.
🚫The Iranian regime’s false messaging machine continues to falsely declare that it has sunk a U.S. plane provider.✅The TRUTH: The one provider that has been hit is the Shahid Bagheri, an Iranian drone provider. U.S. forces struck the ship inside hours of launching Operation… pic.twitter.com/6npT8nJcAt
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026
After a drone struck RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus, Greece has introduced the deployment of naval vessels and F-16s to assist defend the island. The bottom is the UK’s main hub for Center East operations and in addition homes U.S. Air Pressure U-2 plane.
Quite a few drones has been reportedly launched towards the bottom within the final two days, with numerous them being shot down. Just one drone reportedly made it by means of and struck the bottom’s runway, although official described harm as minimal with no accidents reported.
Greek F-16s have arrived to help within the protection of Cyprus after Iranian assaults. pic.twitter.com/bPaIAlZMqK
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 2, 2026
Qatar has additionally introduced that, along with missiles and drones, its air power has shot down two Iranian Su-24 Fencer tactical bombers. The 2 Su-24s, the primary two Iranian plane confirmed to have been shot down whereas in flight, have been reportedly flying in direction of Qatar’s airspace.
The press launch by the MoD didn’t disclose which asset was employed to shoot down the 2 plane. There’s a risk one of many Qatar Emiri Air Pressure’s three fighter plane – the F-15QA Ababil, the Eurofighter Storm and the Dassault Rafale -might have been employed, with the opposite possibility being the service’s floor to air missiles.
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— وزارة الدفاع – دولة قطر (@MOD_Qatar) March 2, 2026
On Mar. 1, U.S. tankers that have been staged at bases in Spain have been seen leaving and flying in direction of different bases comparable to RAF Mildenhall, UK, Istres Air Base, France, and Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez beforehand condemned the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
It now seems that Spain’s authorities prompted the transfer. In truth, Overseas Minister Jose Manuel Albares mentioned Spain denied the usage of the bases collectively operated with the U.S. – comparable to Naval Air Station Rota and Morón Air Base – for the operations towards Iran.
US plane go away Spain after authorities says bases can’t be used for Iran assaults pic.twitter.com/2Os7zheHQu
— John Hudson (@John_Hudson) March 2, 2026
The IDF printed a video of F-16 crews, seemingly recorded trough the Helmet Mounted Shows (HMD), countering surface-to-air missiles over Tehran. A missile is seen passing by within the neighborhood of the plane.
Viper crew dodging a SAM launch over Tehran. We’re seeing issues I by no means thought attainable due to this battle
— Abd (@blocksixtynine) March 2, 2026
Iranian air defenses now seems to be largely suppressed, as photographs and movies of U.S. MQ-9 Reapers working over Iran proceed to emerge. Each Israel and the U.S. talked about that native air superiority has been established, rendering the airspace protected sufficient for the usage of these drones which might in any other case be fairly susceptible.
You guys are fortunate at present, I’m getting quite a lot of good photos.One other clear shot of the #USAF 🇺🇸 Reaper over Shiraz, #Fars Province, #Iran
[Again: use my media as much and however you want, but, PLEASE DO NOT WATERMARK THEM] pic.twitter.com/mZTD22rlSz
— Shin (@hey_itsmyturn) March 2, 2026
Notably, one of many MQ-9s has been noticed whereas using air-to-ground missiles – both AGM-114 Hellfires or AGM-179 JAGMs – towards unknown targets. Doable targets may have been ballistic missile launchers, that are being actively hunted.
Enhance section path seen on this video. pic.twitter.com/SyssGQxaC0
— Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (@ColbyBadhwar) March 1, 2026
One other attainable targets could possibly be Iran’s stockpile of one-way assault drones. A video, which reveals the destruction of two Su-22 Fitter plane on the bottom, additionally present what could possibly be an Hellfire missile putting Shahed drones underneath a shelter.
U.S. forces are taking daring motion to eradicate imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime. Strikes proceed. pic.twitter.com/z1x07D7APl
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026
Talking about drones, movies emerged on-line claimed a attainable new sighting of Israel’s secretive RA-01 drone. Nevertheless, upon nearer inspection, the plane seems to be an Israeli Orbiter 5, which has the same form.
This seems to be a smaller Orbiter drone, not the RA-01. For comparability, that is what the RA-01 is believed to appear like:
— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) March 2, 2026
