Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force Il-76 Destroyed

An Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force Il-76MD Candid heavy transport was destroyed on the ground at Shiraz Shahid Dastgheib International Airport during US-Israeli strikes that opened the 2026 Iran war. Satellite imagery published on March 6 by Vantor confirmed the aircraft was burned beyond repair on the military apron alongside two C-130H Hercules and two Su-22M4 fighters. The Il-76MD fleet is critical to Iran's strategic airlift capacity, with only nine airframes in the IRIAF inventory and three additional aircraft operated by the IRGC.