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Iranian strikes heavily damage majority of US military bases in West Asia
United States military bases located in the Persian Gulf are now viewed as ‘sitting ducks’ to Iran’s ‘fast and precise’ attacks
Iranian missile and drone strikes heavily damaged the majority of US bases in the Persian Gulf region since the US-Israeli war against the country began two months ago, according to an investigation by CNN published on 2 May.
Among the 16 US bases hit were sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq, leaving many of them unusable.
“I have never seen anything like this at US bases,” a person familiar with the damage told CNN. “These were fast and precise strikes, using advanced technology.”
Iranian strikes destroyed advanced US aircraft, including an E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft, known as “the eyes of the United States in the Gulf,” stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
Iran also destroyed critical communications equipment at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and radar systems at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
“Our radar systems are our most expensive and most limited asset in the region,” the source said.
Iranian strikes also successfully targeted the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar in two separate attacks.
Al-Udeid is the largest US military base in West Asia, typically housing 10,000 US troops. It hosts a forward headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM), which directs US military operations across a region stretching from Egypt to Kazakhstan.
Other strikes damaged the Naval Support Activity Bahrain base, home to the US Fifth Fleet.
Camp Buehring in Kuwait, which serves as a staging ground for US troops entering Iraq, was also damaged in Iranian strikes.
Iran was able to strike US bases successfully thanks to detailed images produced by its TEE-014 satellite, purchased from China in 2024, CNN reported.
The satellite was a major upgrade, giving Iranian military commanders the ability to view US bases in the region with precision nearly identical to that enjoyed by the US military.
Gulf officials told CNN that US bases, which once instilled fear in enemies, are now viewed as “sitting targets.”
“No matter how many Patriot missile systems the US deploys, US troops stationed so close to the front will be vulnerable to ballistic missiles and drones,” stated Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a pro-Israel think tank.
A Saudi official told CNN that the war showed the Gulf monarchy that its alliance with the US was not “flawless” and that the kingdom could not rely solely on Washington to guarantee its security.
According to Stars and Stripes, “Within hours of the first US attacks, military personnel and residents were running for cover as Iranian drones and missiles pummeled the base, sending clouds of fire and black smoke into the sky.”
Will Todman, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the US military newspaper that the US may need to relocate its regional bases away from the Gulf.
“There’s a question of, what does the US want after this? Do they still think that their military resources are best placed so close to Iran and inside the Gulf? On the western side of the Strait of Hormuz?” Todman stated.
In response to the CNN report, a Pentagon official stated, “We do not discuss battle damage assessments from the war for security reasons. Our forces remained fully operational, and we continue to carry out our mission with the same level of readiness and effectiveness.”
The US and Iran have not traded fire since a ceasefire took effect three weeks ago. Negotiations for a permanent end to the war have been at a stalemate over the White House’s refusal to lift a blockade on Iranian ports.
On Thursday, Tehran reportedly submitted a new proposal to end the war. However, Trump told reporters on Friday he was not satisfied with the proposal.
“We have just had a conversation with Iran. We will see what happens. But I am not happy,” the president stated.
On Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that the Islamic Republic is prepared to engage in diplomacy if Washington abandons its excessive demands and stops using threatening language.
