In a series of strikes that have reportedly left Iranian commanders wondering if they are witnessing the end of the world, the U.S. has officially unleashed the A-10. No longer relegated to the boneyard, the Warthog is now the primary tool for what military analysts call “loiter and destroy” operations, systematically stripping away the last remnants of the Islamic Republic’s regional leverage.

The official confirmation came not from a podium in Washington, but from a calculated social media post. On March 15, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) published high-resolution imagery of A-10s receiving in-flight refueling over the Persian Gulf. The caption was a masterclass in psychological warfare:

“The A-10 Thunderbolt II can loiter for hours, standing by and ready to execute a mission whenever needed.”