Five US Military Aircraft Damaged in Iranian Attack at Saudi Arabian Military Base
At least five United States military aircraft located at the Prince Sultan Air Base complex in Saudi Arabia sustained damage from an Iranian attack. The US military confirmed that the five aircraft were not completely destroyed.
The damage to the five US military aircraft was reported by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Saturday, 14 March 2026, citing two unnamed US officials, according to reports from Anadolu Agency and Reuters. The Pentagon has not yet provided a direct response to the WSJ report.
According to the WSJ, the five damaged military aircraft are aerial refuelling tankers operated by the US Air Force. The five refuelling aircraft were struck and damaged whilst grounded at Prince Sultan Air Base, located in the al-Kharj area of Saudi Arabia, a facility where dozens of US fighter jets are typically stationed.
According to two US government sources cited by the WSJ, the five American military aircraft were struck by Iranian missiles targeting the Saudi military base in recent days. The five US military aircraft sustained damage but were not completely destroyed and are currently undergoing repairs. No casualties resulted from the attack.
This incident in Saudi Arabia occurred several days after another US military aircraft, also a KC-135 aerial refuelling tanker, crashed in Iraq. At least six US military personnel were killed in that incident. US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, confirmed that the KC-135 crash was not caused by enemy fire or friendly fire. The cause of the US military aircraft crash remains under comprehensive investigation by the US military.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence reported in its latest update that its air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed at least eight drones detected in its airspace since Saturday morning, 14 March. Iran has launched waves of missile and drone attacks against Gulf nations hosting US military assets, including Saudi Arabia, in retaliation for US and Israeli operations that have been ongoing since 28 February.