U.S. Media: U.S. Military Bases in the Middle East Suffer Severe Battle Losses

Reference News Network reported on November 4 According to an Associated Press report on October 31, based on an analysis report from the Associated Press, Iran has attacked more than twenty U.S. bases in the Middle East, targeting early warning systems first, followed by aircraft and buildings, resulting in billions of dollars in damages to U.S. military bases.

The Associated Press independently verified the damage to U.S. military targets using satellite images provided by multiple vendors and interviewed four local officials with firsthand knowledge. The analysis found that as of August, Iran or Iran-backed militia groups had launched over 115 drone or missile attacks on 26 U.S. military bases or locations where U.S. equipment was deployed, damaging or destroying facilities there.

The analysis revealed that Iran first targeted aircraft hangars and early warning systems that detect enemy attacks, clearing the way for further strikes on warehouses, troop housing, and other targets.

Two local officials stated that the damage caused by the strikes severely impacted U.S. military bases in the Middle East, leading the U.S. to withdraw many pieces of equipment from the Gulf region. One official mentioned that this equipment included aircraft, air defense systems, communication systems, and other gear critical to base operations.

This has raised questions about the U.S. military's defensive capabilities in the region. Meanwhile, Trump is considering resuming strikes after the midterm elections, and Iran has vowed to retaliate. A return to hostilities could result in even more costly damage to U.S. military bases, increasing uncertainty about whether the U.S. will choose to rebuild bases after the conflict.

The Associated Press's analysis reveals new details about Iran's retaliatory actions while clarifying which specific facilities within U.S. military bases have been damaged during this eight-month conflict, information that goes beyond what has been disclosed in various independent reports, including those from the Department of Defense Inspector General's office. The analysis found that from April 1 to June 30, Iranian attacks damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings and other facilities within U.S. military bases.

Analysis of satellite images shows that most of Iran's attacks on U.S. military bases occurred in Kuwait, while U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE also became targets. The deadliest known strike occurred in Kuwait: on March 1, a drone attacked Shuaiba Port, resulting in the deaths of six U.S. soldiers.

Rafael Cohen, director of the National Security Project at the RAND Corporation, stated that although Iran has suffered more severe strikes, the loss of U.S. military equipment was inevitable. He said that modern warfare makes all parties "vulnerable to large-scale, inexpensive drone attacks, which should serve as a wake-up call for the U.S."

Iran's retaliation first precisely targeted early warning systems designed to prevent attacks, then expanded to buildings that support the operation of U.S. military bases or house personnel, as well as other equipment.

Shortly after the outbreak of war, Iran destroyed the Al-Rifai military camp in Kuwait and the radar protection shelter at the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain. Additionally, Iran attacked the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia and the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, targeting portable radar systems.

N.R. Jensen-Jones, director of the Australian Military Equipment Research Service, stated that Iran prioritized strikes on U.S. air defense systems, targeting early warning radars that are difficult and expensive to repair and replace.

Raytheon, a defense manufacturer, stated that one radar hit in Jordan is one of only 13 of its kind used by the U.S. Army worldwide, with each radar costing about $500 million.

Jensen-Jones said that such attacks may "aim to disrupt and weaken the ability of the U.S. and its allies to respond to further attacks."

After attacking the radars, Iran launched over 50 successful strikes on 18 U.S. locations within the first month of the war, prioritizing sites where aircraft were deployed.

In March of this year, an attack by Iran on the Prince Sultan Air Base destroyed the rear section of a Boeing E-3 Sentry reconnaissance aircraft. Another strike hit a CIA site within the U.S. embassy in Riyadh.

Cohen stated, "This is the operational environment we will face in the future; the idea of conducting operations based on fixed infrastructure like in the global war on terror is no longer viable." (Translated by Pan Xiaoyan)