Washington, May 2: The ongoing conflict between the United States-Israel and Iran, which began on February 28, has caused significant damage to American military installations in the Middle East. According to a report, 16 US military bases across eight countries have been affected, with some now nearly unusable.
A CNN investigation revealed that these damaged bases constitute a major portion of the US military presence in the region.
According to a congressional aide, the assessment of the damage varies—some bases may need to be completely shut down, while others are considered repairable due to their strategic importance.
The report cites satellite images indicating that Iran specifically targeted advanced US radar systems, communication systems, and aircraft, which are costly and limited resources. It noted that altering many of these satellite images will be challenging, with interviews conducted with sources in the US and Gulf countries included in the report.
A congressional associate stated, “It is noteworthy that they indeed targeted locations that were very significant in terms of cost. Our radar systems are among the most expensive and limited resources in this area.”
Pentagon Acting Comptroller Jules Hurst III reported that American taxpayers have incurred nearly $25 billion in expenses due to this conflict.
Meanwhile, The New York Times indicated that repairs to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters alone could cost around $200 million.
An external assessment from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) noted that Iranian attacks also targeted Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base, the runway of Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base, and an ammunition storage facility at a military base in northern Iraq.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.