U.S. Media: U.S. Military Facilities in 8 Middle Eastern Countries Damaged in Iranian Attacks

On May 1, Xinhua News Agency reported from Washington (reporters Huang Qiang and Xu Jianmei) that CNN released an investigative report stating that since the initiation of military actions against Iran, at least 16 U.S. military facilities across eight countries in the Middle East have been damaged in Iranian attacks, with some facilities effectively rendered unusable.

This investigative report is based on dozens of satellite images and interviews with several informed sources from the United States and Gulf Arab countries. According to a U.S. congressional aide familiar with the assessment of the damage, most of the U.S. military deployment sites in the Middle East have been affected. "There are varying assessments of the battle damage. The more pessimistic view is that some facilities have been completely destroyed and need to be closed. However, some leaders believe these facilities have strategic value and are still worth repairing."

The report states that satellite images show that Iran's main targets include advanced radar systems, communication systems, and various types of aircraft. The congressional aide mentioned that Iran indeed considers these facilities as "the most cost-effective attack targets," noting that "in this region, radar systems are not only the most expensive but also our most scarce resource."

On April 29, Jules Hurst, the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for financial management, stated during a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee discussing the Pentagon's budget proposal that U.S. expenditures related to the conflict with Iran are estimated to have reached $25 billion. Subsequently, an informed source revealed to CNN that the actual expenditures could be close to $40 billion to $50 billion.