Since the Iran war began, at least 17 U.S. sites and installations across the region have been damaged by Iranian strikes, according to an analysis by The New York Times based on commercial satellite imagery, verified social media footage and statements from U.S. officials and Iranian state media. Some facilities have been hit more than once.

The scale and intensity of the attacks have surprised many U.S. military officials, who say Iran appeared more prepared for a major regional confrontation than many in the Trump administration had anticipated.

Iran launched thousands of missiles and drones toward American and allied positions during the war’s opening days. U.S. officials say most of the incoming weapons were intercepted, but a number still struck their targets.

On Feb. 28, the first day of the conflict, Iran targeted several major U.S. military facilities across the Persian Gulf. The strikes were aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Buehring in Kuwait, and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American base in the Middle East.

Satellite imagery taken after the attacks shows significant damage to buildings and communications infrastructure at several of the sites. One video recorded March 1 shows an Iranian drone exploding near sports facilities at Camp Buehring in Kuwait. No casualties were reported in that incident.

Other strikes proved far deadlier.

An Iranian drone attack on March 1 struck a structure housing U.S. military personnel at Shuaiba port in Kuwait, killing six American service members. Satellite imagery taken afterward shows the roof of the building partially collapsed.

Another U.S. service member was killed the same day in a separate Iranian strike on an American base in Saudi Arabia, bringing the confirmed toll to seven U.S. troops, according to the Pentagon.

The financial damage has also been significant. A Pentagon assessment provided to Congress estimated that the strike on the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain on the first day of the war caused roughly $200 million in damage.

Several major American installations have been hit repeatedly since the war began. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, Camp Buehring in Kuwait and the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain have all been struck more than once.

Although the pace of Iranian attacks has slowed since the opening days of the war, the strikes have not stopped.

Iranian missiles have even flown far beyond the Gulf battlefield. On March 4, NATO intercepted a ballistic missile headed toward Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, which hosts a major U.S. Air Force presence. A second Iranian missile entered Turkish airspace and was also shot down, according to Turkish officials, though Iran’s military denied firing them.

Beyond targeting bases directly, Iran has also focused on damaging the radar and communications systems that form the backbone of the U.S. air defense network in the region.

At Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, satellite images show severe damage to radar equipment located at the southern edge of the base. Military documents indicate that a radar system of that type can cost up to half a billion dollars.

Video footage from Feb. 28 also appears to show an Iranian drone striking the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, damaging a communications radome that protects sensitive radar equipment.

Across the Gulf, many countries operate American-made air defense systems near major infrastructure sites such as oil refineries. These systems often share data with U.S. forces, forming what defense analysts describe as an expanded sensor network across the region.

Satellite imagery suggests some of those facilities may have been hit as well. At the Al Ruwais complex in the United Arab Emirates, storage structures near equipment associated with a THAAD missile defense system appear to have suffered heavy damage after Iranian strikes.

Another potentially significant blow may have occurred in Qatar, where satellite imagery indicates damage to a massive AN/FPS-132 radar system designed to provide early warning coverage across a 3,000-mile radius. The radar, which reportedly cost about $1.1 billion to build, is one of the most powerful installations of its kind in the region.

The full extent of the damage to America’s defense infrastructure remains unclear. Some analysts warn that replacing advanced radar systems could be slow and costly.

Others say the impact on U.S. military capabilities will likely be limited. Seth G. Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that American forces rely on a wide range of sensors, including aircraft and satellites, creating significant redundancy.

Iran’s campaign has not been limited to military targets. Several U.S. diplomatic facilities have also come under attack.

The American consulate in Dubai and U.S. embassies in Kuwait City and Riyadh were struck during Iranian attacks, forcing temporary closures. No injuries were reported in those incidents.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was also targeted in a rocket attack over the weekend, though it remains unclear who carried it out or how much damage it caused.

According to U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper, the intensity of Iranian attacks has dropped sharply since the war’s first day. Ballistic missile launches have declined by roughly 90 percent, while drone attacks have fallen by about 83 percent.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)