– Sahar Ragab (Xinhua)
Iran’s strikes on U.S. military bases across the Middle East partially destroyed key equipment and infrastructure in several regional countries, with notably heavier damage reported in Kuwait. Most of the attacks were intercepted by host-nation air defenses, and the bases remain operational.
Here is a quick overview of the reported damage to U.S. military bases in key regional countries:
Kuwait
— Satellite imagery from Planet Labs confirms infrastructure damage at the U.S. Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait following Iranian strikes since Feb. 28, including to over a dozen structures, aircraft shelters, and areas near runways.
— At least six satellite communication radomes at Camp Arifjan, a key U.S. logistical hub in Kuwait, were destroyed, likely impacting U.S. Central Command networks, according to reports. The site, along with Camp Buehring, sustained damage from missile strikes, featuring multiple craters and burnt areas near facilities.
— An Iranian drone strike on a U.S. makeshift command center near Kuwait’s Shuaiba Port killed six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers on March 1.
— The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense said Friday that it had intercepted hundreds of drones and missiles since the start of Iranian attacks on the country. While air defenses destroyed the majority, some incidents caused casualties and damage to facilities.
Bahrain
— The Bahrain National Communication Center confirmed a missile attack on the U.S. Fifth Fleet’s service center in capital Manama’s Juffair area around Feb. 28. Imagery indicated significant damage to radomes, warehouses, and communication terminals.
— The Bahrain Defense Force said Tuesday that its air defenses have intercepted and destroyed 105 missiles and 176 drones launched against it by Iran.
The United Arab Emirates
— Satellite imagery indicates Iran’s attacks on Al Dhafra Air Base, located south of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), caused significant damage to infrastructure. A compound, satellite systems, and radar equipment were damaged, but the base remains operational, according to reports.
— Iran also targeted the Jebel Ali Port in Dubai on March 1, a strategic hub for U.S. navy. The extent of U.S. military losses remains unclear.
— UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on Saturday the country is effectively “in a state of war.” The UAE’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday that its air defense systems have detected 262 ballistic missiles, 1,475 drones, and eight cruise missiles since the start of what it described as Iranian attacks.
Qatar
— Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military command center in the Middle East, has been hit by multiple missile and drone attacks since Feb. 28, including from Iran. While Qatari defenses intercepted many threats, at least one missile or drone impact was reported, causing explosions, though no official casualties have been confirmed.
— Some media reports speculated that the main facility damaged at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base may be the AN/FPS-132 long-range ballistic missile early-warning radar, valued at about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars. This critical radar provides early detection of long-range threats for U.S. missile defense.
Jordan
— Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported Saturday that an Iranian strike destroyed a 300-million-dollars AN/TPY-2 radar system, a key component of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, at Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. CNN previously reported that satellite images from March 2 confirmed the radar was destroyed in the initial days of U.S.-Israel joint airstrikes.
— Munitions specialist N.R. Jenzen Jones from Jordan said the loss of even a single AN/TPY-2 radar would significantly impact combat operations, and a replacement unit would likely need to be redeployed.
— Jordanian authorities have not publicly responded to the THAAD radar damage. However, the Jordanian army said on Saturday that 11 missiles and drones from Iran were not intercepted.
Saudi Arabia
— Saudi Arabia has reported multiple successful interceptions of missiles and drones targeting the country’s Prince Sultan Air Base, where dozens of U.S. warplanes are stationed. A satellite image on March 1 showed that at a radar site near the base, a tent previously used to shelter a radar system for a nearby THAAD battery was badly charred and debris was scattered around it, according to CNN reports.
— Saudi Arabia on Sunday warned Iran that continued strikes on its territory or energy infrastructure could trigger retaliation and lead Riyadh to allow U.S. forces to launch operations from Saudi bases.