Either way, it appears the US lost multiple aircraft—and this is a massive humiliation for Trump. They have tried to dress up these losses by saying it was a worthwhile price to pay to rescue the crew, but we are talking about a country that doesn’t give its people healthcare—they can spare me the pretence about valuing human life.

Obviously, I’m sceptical that a rescue mission was the real goal. I think spec ops teams were sent to gather intelligence on Iranian defences, suppress nearby threats, and/or destroy military infrastructure. While the fog of war means we cannot be confident about what took place, I feel my explanation makes more sense than the official one. What do you think?

I don't know, but it's more plausible than what US administration are peddling.