File photo: US bases in Gulf become Achilles heel as Iran inflicts ‘unprecedented damage’
The strikes damaged or destroyed structures at 26 US military bases and other sites holding American equipment, with the scale of the damage prompting Washington to move aircraft, air defence systems and other assets out of the Persian Gulf, according to regional officials cited by the AP. It was one of only 13 AN/TPY-2 radars held by the US Army globally, according to manufacturer Raytheon, with budget documents putting the cost of each at around $500 million. At Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, a March strike damaged the rear section of a Boeing E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft and also hit a CIA unit at the US Embassy in Riyadh, according to regional officials cited by the AP. A Congressional Research Service report updated in October said 15 US aircraft had been damaged at regional bases.
Because they are difficult and expensive to replace, iran’s focus on these systems was significant.
Jenzen-Jones, director of the technical intelligence consultancy Armament Research Services, told the AP that Tehran had targeted the backbone of the US air defence system. Striking such sites was likely intended to disrupt the ability of the US and its allies to respond to further attacks, he said. Its spokesman Sean Parnell said American forces and bases were “well protected” and that the military was stronger than ever.
N.R. A radar in Jordan was reportedly destroyed. A separate radar in Qatar was also significantly damaged, although it remains unclear whether it was destroyed. The attack damaged several other aircraft, including two aerial refuelling tankers. The Pentagon has offered little detail about the toll on US equipment and personnel. The financial and military toll comes as US president Donald Trump weighs the possibility of further strikes after the US midterm elections. Tehran has vowed major retaliation if hostilities resume. The damage already inflicted on US bases could shape Washington’s decisions about whether to rebuild its military infrastructure in the region once the war ends.
The AP also noted that public verification of the damage has been complicated by delays in the release of satellite imagery. Major providers with US government contracts restricted or delayed the publication of images at the request of American officials, limiting independent assessment of the strikes.