A viral video circulating on social media has reignited debate over the cost and effectiveness of modern air defence, after it appeared to show a $1 million American F-15 aircraft chasing, but failing to intercept, at least two "cheap" $20,000 Iranian Shahed-136 drones over northern Iraq.
The clip, shared by the X account 'Open Source Intel', came as tensions in the US-Iran conflict continued to dominate online discussion. In the video, the jet is seen trailing the drone before the footage cuts to a ground explosion and smoke rising near a facility in Erbil.
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Footage shows a U.S. Air Force F-15 pursuing but failing to intercept a low-flying Iranian Shahed drone over northern Iraq. The drone later struck near a burning Castrol facility in Erbil. pic.twitter.com/qrLDwFObcZ
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) April 1, 2026
The video is reportedly from an Iranian strike on a British engine oil company in Iraq's Erbil, which caused a massive fire.
The post's caption read: “Footage shows a U.S. Air Force F-15 pursuing but failing to intercept a low-flying Iranian Shahed drone over northern Iraq. The drone later struck near a burning Castrol facility in Erbil.”
Although the video remains unverified by US Central Command, it has already gone viral because of what it seems to represent: the growing pressure cheap, expendable drones are putting on even the most advanced air forces.
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As per reports, Iran has increasingly relied on large numbers of inexpensive drones to overwhelm air-defence systems, with Shahed drones estimated to cost between $20,000 and $50,000 each, far below the price of an F-15 fighter jet.
Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, Tehran has fired hundreds of missiles and more than 1,000 drones at Israel and Gulf states allied with Washington. The approach relies on volume rather than precision, with large numbers of drones launched simultaneously to overwhelm air defences.
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