Analysis Shows Iran Targeted U.S. Early-Warning Systems Before Striking Aircraft and Facilities
Satellite imagery and regional officials confirm that Iran’s drone and missile attacks on more than two dozen U.S. bases in the Middle East first hit radar and early-warning installations, then expanded to aircraft hangars, warehouses and troop housing, causing extensive equipment damage.
Iran’s campaign against U.S. bases in the Middle East began by striking early-warning radars and detection systems, then moved on to aircraft hangars, warehouses and troop facilities, according to an Associated Press analysis that used satellite imagery and interviews with regional officials. The analysis documented more than 115 drone or missile strikes between April and August that damaged structures on 26 bases across Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
At Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base, at least 30 strikes damaged or destroyed 15 aircraft hangars, several warehouses and ten buildings near a residential area. Camp Buehring, also in Kuwait, saw most of its hangars rendered inoperable and suffered damage to troop gathering places, including a gym and a store. Similar attacks hit radar enclosures at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and Naval Support Activity Bahrain within the first two days of the conflict, as well as portable radars at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia and Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
"Our forces and bases are well protected and America’s military is stronger than ever," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
"Our service members in CENTCOM have everything they need to continue their historic success ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon," Parnell added.
Analysts noted that the targeted radars are among a limited global inventory, with each unit costing roughly half a billion dollars, and that their loss could degrade U.S. and allied response capabilities. After disabling the radars, Iran launched more than 50 successful strikes on 18 locations in the first month, damaging refueling aircraft, communication systems, fuel bunkers and troop accommodations. A strike on Prince Sultan Air Base damaged the rear of a Boeing E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft and injured a CIA unit at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh.
The damage has prompted the United States to relocate many assets, including aircraft, air-defense and communications equipment, out of the Persian Gulf region, according to two regional officials. The extent of the damage remains partly unverified because major satellite-imagery providers delayed public releases at the request of U.S. officials, citing operational security. High-quality imagery for some sites, such as Camp Buehring, only became available in late August.
RAND analyst Raphael Cohen said the attacks illustrate how modern militaries are vulnerable to large-scale, low-cost drone strikes and warned that reliance on fixed infrastructure may be untenable in future conflicts.