Satellite analysis shows that at least 228 U.S. military buildings and equipment have been damaged across the Middle East since the outbreak of the war in Iran launched by the United States and Israel in late February, far exceeding previous official reports, according to the Washington Post.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the damaged assets, including hangars, barracks, fuel depots, military aircraft, and key radar, communications, and air defense equipment, were identified through examination of available satellite imagery.
From the outbreak of hostilities until April 14, 15 U.S. military sites in the region sustained a total of 217 building damage and 11 equipment losses, with over half concentrated at the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and three bases in Kuwait.
Experts said the scale of damage reveals that the U.S. military underestimated Iran's strike capabilities and struggled to adapt to modern drone warfare. The U.S. military hoped to quickly destroy Iran's missile and drone capabilities, but underestimated the depth of Iranian intelligence on fixed U.S. infrastructure and failed to take into account the depletion of U.S. and Israeli air defense systems following the "12-day war" in June last year.
In addition, experts said U.S. forces have not fully adapted to Iran's use of one-way attack drones, which, despite their small payloads, are able to deliver more precise strikes while being more difficult to intercept, thus posing a greater threat to U.S. forces.
According to report, many U.S. bases have been unable to staff normal personnel levels, prompting military leaders to consider relocating troops to safer areas and reducing operational capacity, even as they accept the risk of further potential losses.
Iran strikes heavily damage US bases across Mideast
Iran strikes heavily damage US bases across Mideast
