Media: Iranian attacks devastate US bases in the Middle East

Several United States military bases in the Middle East have been severely damaged due to Iranian attacks. This fact is supported by photos and videos obtained by ABC News as the Pentagon assesses the impact of a war that has lasted for more than six months.

The report states that the images show damaged buildings and an aircraft at three US bases in Kuwait, as well as one base in Saudi Arabia that houses US assets. Some assets at these bases have been evacuated, ABC News reported.

One photograph shows an E-3 Sentry reconnaissance aircraft, valued at approximately $270 million, damaged in late March at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. “These bases have been damaged and cannot be repaired. If we choose to rebuild them, it would be a task lasting decades,” said a senior US military official speaking on condition of anonymity.

The military official accused the Pentagon of lacking transparency regarding the damage to the bases. “Drone and ballistic missile attacks are still actively hitting the bases every day,” they said.

A Pentagon Inspector General report released on Monday stated that “hundreds of buildings and structures” have sustained damage. The Inspector General estimates the cost of the war at $33 billion, while the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost could reach $38 billion.

The US Department of Defense stated that 18 of its military personnel have been killed and 824 others injured since the war began on 28 February. The deadliest attack occurred on the second day of the war, when six US soldiers were killed in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the protection of troops is the top priority. However, he acknowledged that some Iranian weapons managed to penetrate US defence systems.