Photos Show Iranian Strikes Damaged U.S. Bases, Destroying Up to $3.7 Billion in Equipment
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Sep 16
Photos Show Iranian Strikes Damaged U.S. Bases, Destroying Up to $3.7 Billion in Equipment
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Sep 16
Summary
New photos from service members show severe Iranian missile and drone damage at multiple U.S. bases, including a direct hit at Prince Sultan Air Base that severed the tail of a Boeing E-3 Sentry.
Camp Buehring in Kuwait and other sites show gutted buildings, wrecked vehicles and fortifications that withstood mortar threats but failed against aerial attacks.
A fresh Pentagon inspector general report put equipment losses at up to $3.7 billion, including nearly 60 aircraft, and said U.S. Central Command reported damage in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.
Service members said the scale of destruction has not been fully communicated publicly, while the Pentagon did not respond to CBS News' request for comment.
The images deepen scrutiny of U.S. base defenses after the March 1 attack on Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait killed six American troops.
With billions in damages and depleted defenses hidden from the public, what else is the military concealing about the Middle East attacks?
If modern U.S. air defenses were easily overwhelmed by new drone tactics, how vulnerable are remaining global forces to similar strikes?
U.S.-Iran War 2026: Human, Military, and Geopolitical Costs of a Shattered Middle East Order
Overview
The US-Israeli war with Iran, which began in February 2026, triggered a cascade of destruction and strategic strain. Iranian missile and drone attacks devastated key US military and diplomatic sites, forcing the US to relocate its logistics hub to Diego Garcia and endure severe supply delays. The conflict’s intensity led to hundreds of wounded US service members, mostly with traumatic brain injuries, as medical evacuations became difficult after the withdrawal of helicopters. Iran’s advanced missile tactics overwhelmed US air defenses, rapidly depleting Patriot and THAAD interceptor stockpiles. This depletion forced the US to divert resources from Asia, undermining alliances and exposing global vulnerabilities, while Gulf states suffered massive economic losses as oil and gas trade was choked off.