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Iran hit US air defenses first, then aircraft and buildings at Mideast bases: AP
An Associated Press analysis of satellite images shows how Iran's strikes on 26 sites in the region exposed gaps in American defenses and may reshape the US footprint.
Iran's missile and drone attacks on US bases in the Middle East began with early-warning systems, then moved on to aircraft and buildings, according to an Associated Press analysis. The AP says the strikes caused billions of dollars in equipment damage across more than two dozen sites.
The AP checked satellite imagery from several providers and spoke with four regional officials who were briefed on the damage or saw it firsthand. It found that, through August, more than 115 drone or missile strikes claimed by Iran or Iranian-backed militias damaged or destroyed structures on 26 military bases and other locations holding US equipment.
The pattern looks deliberate. Iran first went after aircraft hangars and the systems that detect incoming fire. That cleared the way for later hits on warehouses, troop housing and other buildings. From April 1 to June 30 alone, the AP found, strikes damaged or destroyed hundreds of structures on US bases.
Kuwait took the brunt. Ali Al Salem Air Base was struck at least 30 times, with at least 15 hangars, numerous warehouses and 10 buildings near a residential area damaged or destroyed. At Camp Buehring, most hangars were knocked out of use. Because the base had few aircraft, places where troops gather suffered heavily: its gym was destroyed in March and a base store was hit in late July. The deadliest known attack on US troops in the war came in Kuwait, where a drone strike at Port Shuaiba on March 1 killed six soldiers. Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also targeted.
The damage has changed where the US operates. Two regional officials said Washington has pulled many assets out of the Persian Gulf, including aircraft, air defense and communications systems, and other equipment that bases depend on.
That matters now because President Donald Trump is weighing new strikes after Tuesday's midterm elections, and Tehran has promised major retaliation. Renewed fighting could mean more costly damage and deepen doubts about whether the US will rebuild in the region once the war ends.
The full picture is hard to confirm. US Central Command declined to comment, and the AP notes that the administration and military have released few details and have delayed satellite imagery. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said US forces and bases are well protected and the military is stronger than ever.
Read the original report: New Indian Express.
