Airstrikes may have destroyed Iran's last F-14s, ending a long, strange saga

Recent airstrikes have likely destroyed Iran's remaining F-14 Tomcat fighters, potentially ending the country's four-decade operation of the Cold War-era jets. The U.S. sold Iran these aircraft in the 1970s before the two nations became adversaries, and Iran maintained the fleet despite decades of American sanctions and international isolation. Iran's ability to keep the F-14s operational represented a remarkable feat of engineering ingenuity given the embargo on parts and support. The loss of these aircraft marks the end of an unusual chapter in aviation history in which a former U.S. ally became an enemy but continued flying American military hardware.