200+ American targets in the Gulf hit by Iran, much more than acknowledged by the US, claims report
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Fighter jets on a US aircraft carrier during Operation Epic Fury against Iran Photograph: (Others)
A report claimed that Iranian airstrikes had hit more than 200 structures and equipment at US military sites across Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and UAE. This is much more than the US has acknowledged. Here is a breakdown
The Washington Post has reported, based on satellite imagery analysis, that Iranian airstrikes damaged or destroyed at least 228 structures or pieces of equipment at American military sites across the Gulf region since the war began on February 28, a number far bigger than what the US government has acknowledged. The investigative report said 15 US military sites across Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE were hit.
Investigators reviewed more than 100 high-resolution satellite images
Satellite images from Iranian state-affiliated media, 109 images and data from the EU’s Copernicus satellite system and commercial imagery were analysed. WaPo reporters identified 10 more damaged or destroyed structures independently using satellite images. The report documented damage to 217 structures and 11 pieces of equipment.
The strikes damaged hangars, barracks, fuel depots, aircraft, radar systems, communications infrastructure and air defence equipment, it added. Seven US service members died in attacks on the regional bases: six in Kuwait and one in Saudi Arabia, while more than 400 troops were injured by late April, of which 12 are serious.
How hard did Iran hit American facilities in the Gulf?
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The report claimed that more than half of all documented damages occurred at the US 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and three major US facilities in Kuwait. Iran hit and damaged fuel bladders, Patriot missile defence systems and radomes at Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait. At Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring in Kuwait, the Iranian attacks hit barracks, power infrastructure and operational facilities. Satellite communications infrastructure was damaged at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar and US naval facilities in Bahrain. At Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, an E-3 Sentry command aircraft and a refuelling tanker were reportedly destroyed. Also damaged were THAAD missile defence systems in Jordan and the UAE.
Also read: Iran denies attack claims on UAE; Israel 'prepared to respond with force' amid rising tensions
Iran had a higher degree of targeting precision than expected; US air defences in the Gulf region are strained
The report quoted Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies as saying that the Iranian attacks were precise. “There are no random craters indicating misses.”
This has resulted in the straining of US-made defence systems in West Asia. The Center for Strategic and International Studies assessments from February 28 to April 8 found that the US military used at least 190 THAAD interceptors, which is nearly 53 per cent of pre-war inventory. It also expended 1,060 Patriot interceptors, or nearly 43 per cent of pre-war inventory.
Another assessment is that the US is not fully adapted to modern drone warfare. One-way attack drones, while carrying smaller payloads, were described as harder to intercept and highly accurate.
The WaPo report said some US bases in the Middle East became too dangerous to operate normally, prompting commanders to relocate personnel outside the range of Iranian attacks. One unnamed US official described the damage at the Naval Support Activity Bahrain as “extensive”, leading to relocation to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.
The US Central Command declined to provide detailed counter-assessments, saying fuller context would emerge after the conflict ends, according to the report.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.
