Fourteen Russian spy satellites flew over the US military’s Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia in March, just days before a major Iranian strike on the facility during the US-Israeli war with Iran, according to a CNN investigation. The March 27 attack involved at least one missile and several drones. It wounded 12 US service members and damaged or destroyed key American military equipment, including a Boeing E-3 Sentry, an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft capable of tracking aircraft and missiles hundreds of kilometres away.&nbsp;CNN, citing unnamed US sources, reported that intelligence obtained from Russian satellites played an important role in helping Iran conduct the precision strike. Although the US media outlet did not get the Russian satellite imagery itself, the network analysed orbital tracking data with assistance from the European Space Agency's Aurora Programme and US-based Kayhan Space. The analysis identified Russian satellite Cosmos 2573 passing over Prince Sultan Air Base two days before the attack, along with 13 other Russian reconnaissance satellites.&nbsp;Cosmos 2573 is equipped with detailed imaging capabilities, including synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which can collect data in darkness and through cloud cover. The technology can also detect physical changes involving high-value military assets. CNN noted that the AWACS aircraft had been moved from its usual pre-war position, yet Iranian forces were still able to locate and destroy it.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-general-assembly-2026-what-is-veto-power-which-countries-have-it-and-how-does-it-work-1789630638774">UN General Assembly 2026: What is veto power. Which countries have it and how does it work?</a>&nbsp;According to the network, sources linked Russia's alleged assistance to Iran to intelligence that the US has provided to Ukraine for strikes against Russian targets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously claimed that Russia provided Iran with satellite imagery of Prince Sultan Air Base. “I think that it’s in Russia’s interest to help Iranians. And I don’t believe, I know, that they share information,” Zelensky said in an interview with NBC following the attack.&nbsp;Zelensky said he received daily briefings from Ukrainian intelligence agencies showing that Russian satellites photographed the Saudi airbase on March 20, March 23 and March 25, suggesting that preparations for the attack were underway. The Kremlin, however, has denied that Russia provided satellite imagery to Iran.

Fourteen Russian spy satellites reportedly flew over Prince Sultan Air Base before Iran's March 27 strike, raising questions over Moscow's role

Fourteen Russian spy satellites flew over the US military’s Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia in March, just days before a major Iranian strike on the facility during the US-Israeli war with Iran, according to a CNN investigation. The March 27 attack involved at least one missile and several drones. It wounded 12 US service members and damaged or destroyed key American military equipment, including a Boeing E-3 Sentry, an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft capable of tracking aircraft and missiles hundreds of kilometres away. CNN, citing unnamed US sources, reported that intelligence obtained from Russian satellites played an important role in helping Iran conduct the precision strike. Although the US media outlet did not get the Russian satellite imagery itself, the network analysed orbital tracking data with assistance from the European Space Agency's Aurora Programme and US-based Kayhan Space. The analysis identified Russian satellite Cosmos 2573 passing over Prince Sultan Air Base two days before the attack, along with 13 other Russian reconnaissance satellites. Cosmos 2573 is equipped with detailed imaging capabilities, including synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which can collect data in darkness and through cloud cover. The technology can also detect physical changes involving high-value military assets. CNN noted that the AWACS aircraft had been moved from its usual pre-war position, yet Iranian forces were still able to locate and destroy it. Also Read: UN General Assembly 2026: What is veto power. Which countries have it and how does it work? According to the network, sources linked Russia's alleged assistance to Iran to intelligence that the US has provided to Ukraine for strikes against Russian targets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously claimed that Russia provided Iran with satellite imagery of Prince Sultan Air Base. “I think that it’s in Russia’s interest to help Iranians. And I don’t believe, I know, that they share information,” Zelensky said in an interview with NBC following the attack. Zelensky said he received daily briefings from Ukrainian intelligence agencies showing that Russian satellites photographed the Saudi airbase on March 20, March 23 and March 25, suggesting that preparations for the attack were underway. The Kremlin, however, has denied that Russia provided satellite imagery to Iran.

According to report, fourteen Russian spy satellites flew over a US base in Saudi Arabia days before Iran's March 27 strike

Russia-Iran intelligence link? 14 satellites may have helped Iran hit US airbase in Saudi Arabia

A defunct Russian satellite has broken up into more than 100 pieces of debris in orbit, forcing astronauts on the International Space Station to take shelter for about an hour and adding to the mass of space junk already in orbit, U.S. space agencies said.

Russian satellite breaks up in space, forces ISS astronauts to shelter

A space scare occurred when a defunct Russian satellite broke up into more than 100 pieces of debris within its orbit which led to the astronauts taking shelter on the&nbsp;International Space Station for about an hour, stated the US space agencies.

They added that the mass of space junk is already present in orbit. No information was provided on what led to the breaking of the Resurs-P1 Russian Earth observation satellite. This satellite was declared dead by Russia in 2022.

While tracking the swarming debris, US Space Command said that other satellites did not face any other immediate threat.

The satellite blasted at 10 am mountain time (1600 GMT) on Wednesday (June 26), stated Space Command.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-ignored-helium-leak-before-starliner-launch-leaving-astronauts-now-stuck-in-space-734496">NASA ignored helium leak before Starliner launch, leaving astronauts now stuck in space</a>

NASA’s Space Station office said that it happened in an orbit which was close to the space station after US astronauts onboard hid themselves in their spacecraft for nearly an hour, said NASA's Space Station office.&nbsp;

<h2>Is Russia behind the satellite blast?</h2>

The satellite broke at an altitude of nearly 355 km in low-Earth orbit, which is a popular region where thousands of satellites - ranging from small to large - operate.&nbsp;

"Due to the low orbit of this debris cloud, we estimate it’ll be weeks to months before the hazard has passed," said LeoLabs, in a statement to Reuters.

Nearly, 25,000 pieces of debris are bigger by four inches in comparison to others in the space. The formation of debris due to satellite explosions or collisions raised concerns regarding the chances of the Kessler effect.

Kessler effect is a phenomenon in which satellite collisions with debris lead to the formation of a field of more hazardous junk and also increase crash risks.

Watch:&nbsp;Russian satellite breaks up in space, forces ISS astronauts to shelter

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-satellite-breaks-up-in-space-forces-iss-astronauts-to-shelter-735851/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the nearly 88-minute time frame of RESURS-P1's initial break-up, the Plesetsk site emerged among those locations over which it passed on Earth.&nbsp;However, a lack of maritime alerts or indication from airspace suggested that no missile had been launched by Russia to strike the satellite, said space-tracker and Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell.

"I find it hard to believe they would use such a big satellite as an ASAT target. But, with the Russians these days, who knows," said McDowell.

He, along with other analysts, said that the break-up more likely happened because the satellite encountered a problem, like the leftover fuel onboard leading to an explosion.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A space scare occurred when a defunct Russian satellite broke up into more than 100 pieces of debris within its orbit which led to the astronauts taking shelter on the International Space Station for about an hour, stated the US space agencies.

A space scare occurred when a defunct Russian satellite broke up into more than 100 pieces of debris within its orbit which led to the astronauts taking shelter on the International Space Station for about an hour, stated the US space agencies. They added that the mass of space junk is already present in orbit. No information was provided on what led to the breaking of the Resurs-P1 Russian Earth observation satellite. This satellite was declared dead by Russia in 2022. While tracking the swarming debris, US Space Command said that other satellites did not face any other immediate threat. The satellite blasted at 10 am mountain time (1600 GMT) on Wednesday (June 26), stated Space Command. Also Read: NASA ignored helium leak before Starliner launch, leaving astronauts now stuck in space NASA’s Space Station office said that it happened in an orbit which was close to the space station after US astronauts onboard hid themselves in their spacecraft for nearly an hour, said NASA's Space Station office. Is Russia behind the satellite blast? The satellite broke at an altitude of nearly 355 km in low-Earth orbit, which is a popular region where thousands of satellites - ranging from small to large - operate. "Due to the low orbit of this debris cloud, we estimate it’ll be weeks to months before the hazard has passed," said LeoLabs, in a statement to Reuters. Nearly, 25,000 pieces of debris are bigger by four inches in comparison to others in the space. The formation of debris due to satellite explosions or collisions raised concerns regarding the chances of the Kessler effect. Kessler effect is a phenomenon in which satellite collisions with debris lead to the formation of a field of more hazardous junk and also increase crash risks. Watch: Russian satellite breaks up in space, forces ISS astronauts to shelter In the nearly 88-minute time frame of RESURS-P1's initial break-up, the Plesetsk site emerged among those locations over which it passed on Earth. However, a lack of maritime alerts or indication from airspace suggested that no missile had been launched by Russia to strike the satellite, said space-tracker and Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell. "I find it hard to believe they would use such a big satellite as an ASAT target. But, with the Russians these days, who knows," said McDowell. He, along with other analysts, said that the break-up more likely happened because the satellite encountered a problem, like the leftover fuel onboard leading to an explosion. (With inputs from agencies)

Astronauts hide in space station after defunct Russian satellite breaks into more than 100 pieces

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Russia-Iran intelligence link? 14 satellites may have helped Iran hit US airbase in Saudi Arabia

Russian satellite breaks up in space, forces ISS astronauts to shelter

Astronauts hide in space station after defunct Russian satellite breaks into more than 100 pieces