New Images Show Extensive Damage to US Bases After Iranian Attacks
New images obtained by CBS News appear to show more extensive damage to US military facilities in the Middle East than has been publicly acknowledged.
The images, reportedly provided by active-duty US service members on condition of anonymity, show damaged buildings, vehicles and military equipment at American bases in the region. One photograph shows a direct hit to the rear section of a Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, while other images show damaged buildings and barracks.
Additional photographs from Camp Buehring in Kuwait also show significant damage. One service member told CBS News that the scale of destruction at US bases had not been fully communicated to the American public.
The imagery comes alongside a US inspector general report detailing the military impact of the war with Iran. The report said Iranian attacks damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.
The report also recorded losses involving four F-15 fighter jets, one F-35, seven KC-135 tanker aircraft and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones. It said the US Navy's main regional logistics hub in Bahrain was also targeted by Iranian drone and ballistic missile attacks.
The inspector general further warned that the war had created strategic munitions shortfalls and exposed problems in the US defence industrial base. It estimated the conflict had cost about $33.4 billion, including $22.3 billion in expended munitions and $3.7 billion in equipment losses, while infrastructure repair costs were not included.
The report said it remained unclear whether all damaged facilities would be rebuilt or who would ultimately pay for the repairs.
