Never-before-seen photos show heavy damage at U.S. bases hit by Iranian strikes

Never-before-seen photos and videos published by MeidasTouch and VALOR Media Network show destroyed barracks, damaged aircraft and burned-out facilities at U.S. bases across the Middle East hit by Iranian missiles and drones. Service members told the outlets the damage is far worse than the public has been told.

Dozens of never-before-seen photos and videos published on Oct. 22 by MeidasTouch, in coordination with VALOR Media Network, show extensive damage at U.S. military installations in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain struck by Iranian ballistic missiles and drones since the U.S. went to war with Iran in late February.

"It's so much worse than people realize," one service member told the outlets. Troops and family members, speaking anonymously because they said they had been threatened with disciplinary action, described a chaotic deployment, little warning and inadequate protection. Some said they felt abandoned.

Base by base

At Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, the images show destroyed dining facilities, damaged dormitories and burning aircraft. One photo shows an E-3 Sentry surveillance plane damaged in an attack that sources said injured 10 to 12 service members and also damaged two KC-135 tankers. A source also claimed a C-17 cargo plane was destroyed, which MeidasTouch could not verify and the Pentagon has not confirmed.

At Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, troops described about three months of near-constant fire starting in March, with F-15s, F-35s, MQ-9 Reaper drones and helicopters damaged. Sources said three service members were killed in a July 17-18 attack, a claim that has not been independently confirmed. In Kuwait, Camp Buehring appeared almost completely abandoned in September photos, while service members in the UAE said some retreated to hotels and others dug their own foxholes.

Debris at a U.S. base after an Iranian attack

Newly surfaced footage also appears to show an Iranian missile slamming into the ground just meters from U.S. soldiers at a base in the UAE.

Up to $3.7 billion in losses

The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed several of the losses described. The Defense Department's inspector general has reported equipment losses of up to $3.7 billion, including nearly 60 aircraft, and said U.S. Central Command recorded Iranian strikes on bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan. Six U.S. troops were killed in a March 1 attack on the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait.

Have a story, event or announcement of your own?Send us your news on WhatsApp

Spotted an error in this story?Report it on WhatsApp

Share on all social platforms

Never-before-seen photos show heavy damage at U.S. bases hit by Iranian strikes