Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed at least 228 structures or pieces of equipment at US military sites across the Middle East since the war began on February 28, according to a Washington Post investigation published Wednesday that analyzed satellite imagery.
The report said the scale of the damage was significantly wider than what the US government had publicly acknowledged. The damage was identified at 15 US military sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Washington Post said it found 217 damaged or destroyed structures and 11 damaged pieces of equipment, including hangars, barracks, warehouses, fuel depots, aircraft, radar systems, communications sites and air defense assets.
The report said some of the heaviest damage was concentrated at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters, and at three Kuwait-based facilities: Ali al-Salem Air Base, Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring.
Iranian strikes also hit Patriot missile defense equipment in Bahrain and Kuwait, satellite communications sites at al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, radomes at multiple facilities and THAAD-related radar and equipment in Jordan and the UAE, according to the report.
Casualties and operational strain
The report said seven US service members had been killed in strikes on US facilities in the region since the start of the war, including six in Kuwait and one in Saudi Arabia.
More than 400 troops had been injured by late April, most of whom returned to duty within days, while at least 12 suffered serious injuries, according to the report.
The threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks also forced commanders to reduce staffing at some regional bases, the report said. Some personnel were moved away from exposed sites early in the war, limiting the risk of mass casualties but complicating US operations across the region.
Satellite imagery became harder to obtain
The Washington Post said its review was partial because commercial satellite imagery of the conflict region became difficult to obtain after the war began.
In an April report, Planet Labs said it would indefinitely withhold imagery of Iran and the conflict region in response to a US government request to satellite imagery providers.
The company said the move was intended to prevent adversaries from using commercial imagery to attack the US and its allies. The restriction expanded on an earlier 14-day delay on imagery of the Middle East.
The Washington Post said Iranian state-affiliated outlets nevertheless continued to publish high-resolution images purporting to show damage at US sites. The report said it excluded images where comparisons with Copernicus imagery were inconclusive.
Iran’s surveillance capabilities under scrutiny
The report comes after an April report said Iran had secretly acquired a Chinese-built spy satellite, giving Tehran a new ability to monitor US military bases across the Middle East during the war.
The report, citing the Financial Times, said the satellite was acquired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force in late 2024.
In a later report, Beijing dismissed claims related to the alleged satellite transfer as untrue.
A March report said the IDF had destroyed Iranian satellite-targeting capabilities in a rare strike, citing concerns that such systems could help Iran monitor US, Israeli, and regional military facilities.
Regional escalation continues
The Washington Post findings were published as Iranian attacks continued to test air defenses across the Gulf.
Earlier this week, the UAE activated air defenses against Iranian missiles and drones, while Tehran denied targeting the UAE and claimed it was conducting “defense measures” aimed at US assets in the region.
The Washington Post said the full scope of the damage may not be known until after the conflict ends, when military officials can provide a fuller assessment.
