Key facts
- New imagery suggests the US is underplaying the extent of damage to its assets in the Middle East from Iranian attacks.
- Images show direct hits on a Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft and destruction of buildings and vehicles at Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia.
- Pictures from Camp Buehring in Kuwait show similar damage to buildings and barracks.
- A Department of War inspector general report identified ammunition shortfalls and bottlenecks for munitions resupply.
- The report confirmed losses including four F-15 fighters destroyed, one F-35 fighter damaged, seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged, and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones destroyed.
- The US Navy's main logistics hub in Bahrain was targeted by Iran with drone and ballistic missile strikes.
The US has been accused of downplaying the extent of damage inflicted by Iran on its assets in the Middle East, according to new imagery obtained by CBS News. Active service members sent the outlet images showing significant destruction to buildings and vehicles at bases, including a direct hit on a Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia, and damage at Camp Buehring in Kuwait.
A report released on Monday by the US Department of War's inspector general corroborated claims of damage and also highlighted ammunition "shortfalls" and "industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply" resulting from the ongoing conflict, which has been underway since February. The report contradicted statements made by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who had claimed the war had not caused any munitions shortfalls.
The inspector general's report detailed losses to the American fleet, including four F-15 fighters destroyed, one F-35 fighter damaged, seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged, and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones destroyed. It also confirmed that Iran had targeted the US Navy's main logistics hub in Bahrain with drone and ballistic missile strikes. The report stated that "hundreds of buildings and structures" at US bases across Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan have been damaged or destroyed. The estimated cost of the war is around $33.4 billion, excluding infrastructure repair costs, with $3.7 billion attributed to equipment loss and $22.3 billion to expended munitions.