Iran has struck at least six US military sites across the Middle East since the weekend, according to an analysis using satellite imagery and verified footage.
ISTANBUL: Iran has targeted at least six US military sites across the Middle East since Saturday, according to an analysis by The New York Times that drew on satellite images, authenticated videos, and statements from US military officials.
The sites, located in Bahrain, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and three locations in Kuwait, were struck over the weekend with the attacks prompting concerns about the facilities’ capacity to defend against further assaults.
Several buildings were damaged or destroyed, including satellite communications systems, with the level of damage varying by location.
US officials reported that three service members were killed and five seriously injured in a strike on Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, though no images of that specific attack have surfaced.
No fatalities or injuries have been reported at the other five identified sites, which included a major naval headquarters, established military camps, air bases, and a naval recreation facility.
On Saturday, Iran hit the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain, causing significant destruction to multiple structures.
Verified video showed the base was targeted by both missiles and drones, with the harbour appearing largely devoid of naval ships during the strike.
Satellite imagery from Sunday indicated that two satellite communications terminals were destroyed and several large buildings at the headquarters were either heavily damaged or levelled.
In Kuwait, images taken Sunday afternoon revealed collapsed rooftops at multiple points within Ali Al Salem Air Base following reports of an Iranian strike the previous day.
Footage and photographs confirmed repeated targeting of the military installation at Erbil International Airport in Iraq, where US forces are stationed, throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Smoke and flames were visible rising from the area, with satellite images by Sunday morning showing four structures in one section of the base damaged or destroyed and fires still burning into early Monday.
Satellite imagery of Jebel Ali Port in Dubai on Sunday showed smoke rising from a large building within a fenced US Navy recreational zone, which is among the navy’s most frequently used ports.
A widely circulated video recorded inside Camp Buehring in Kuwait on Sunday showed a drone flying over the installation before exploring within its perimeter, though the precise point of impact and extent of damage remain unverified.
It remains uncertain how many weapons Iran fired at the bases or how many were intercepted by defence systems.