Newly obtained images show destroyed buildings, vehicles, aircraft as equipment loss estimates at up to $3.7b
Images of damage to Camp Buehring in Kuwait, released and annotated by Iranian state-affiliated media. (Washington Post illustration; Center row: Iranian state-affiliated media; Background: Planet, with Post annotation)
Iranian missile and drone attacks caused widespread damage to US military positions across the Middle East, including buildings, vehicles and aircraft, according to newly obtained photographs reported by CBS News on Tuesday.
The images, provided to CBS News by active-duty service members on condition of anonymity because of military media restrictions, show damage at several US positions in the region.
“This is major damage to our bases that hasn’t been communicated to the American public,” one deployed service member told the network. “We’re standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face.”
At Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, one photograph shows what CBS News described as a direct hit on the rear section of a Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft, with its tail severed from its charred fuselage.
Other images from the base show heavily damaged buildings and barracks alongside concrete “T-wall” barriers, which are designed primarily to protect against threats such as grenades and mortar fire.
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Photos from Camp Buehring in Kuwait, a major staging area for US Army personnel, armoured vehicles and some aircraft, also showed extensive damage, according to the report.
The images emerged as the US Defence Department’s inspector general released a report estimating equipment losses from the Iran war at up to $3.7 billion, including nearly 60 aircraft.
In a mandatory report to Congress, the inspector general said US Central Command reported Iranian strikes on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.
The Pentagon did not respond to CBS News‘ request for comment.
“These are not ‘squirters’ getting through,” the service member said, referring to terminology used by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth following a March 1 attack on Kuwait’s Port of Shuaiba that killed six US troops.
“We’re not defending these bases. We’re just watching them get destroyed,” the service member added.
