Iran hit US air defences first, then aircraft and buildings, AP analysis finds
Iranian strikes on United States military bases across the Middle East followed a clear pattern, a new Associated Press analysis has found: first the early-warning radars and air defences, then the aircraft, hangars and buildings behind them.
The analysis, published on 31 October, found that through August, more than 115 drone or missile strikes claimed by Iran or Iran-backed militias damaged or destroyed structures at 26 bases and other sites holding US equipment. The AP checked satellite images from several providers and spoke to four regional officials who were briefed on the strikes or had direct knowledge of the damage. The equipment losses run into billions of dollars.
Most of the attacks were in Kuwait. Ali Al Salem Air Base was struck at least 30 times, with at least 15 aircraft hangars damaged or destroyed, plus warehouses and 10 buildings near a residential area. At Camp Buehring, also in Kuwait, more than 30 structures were damaged or destroyed between March and August. The deadliest known strike killed six US soldiers in a drone attack at Port Shuaiba on 1 March. Other sites were hit in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
From April to June alone, hundreds of buildings and other structures were damaged or destroyed, according to the Pentagon’s inspector general. Two regional officials told the AP the damage prompted the United States to move aircraft, air-defence systems and communications gear out of the Persian Gulf. The Pentagon said US forces and bases remain well protected; US Central Command declined to give a detailed account.
Why it matters
Until now, the public picture of the eight-month conflict’s toll on American bases has come only in fragments, because the US military has released few details. This is the fullest snapshot yet of what was hit, and it shows a deliberate strategy: knock out the systems that detect incoming attacks first, then strike the bases themselves.
What happens next
The findings raise open questions about the future of the US military presence in the Gulf: whether damaged bases will be rebuilt, how much equipment will be replaced, and whether more assets stay moved away. The AP said it could not establish a final cost, and the classified damage estimate given to lawmakers has not been made public.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.military.com/iran-targeted-us-air-defenses-then-hit-aircraft-and-buildings-on-mideast-bases-ap-analysis-finds (Associated Press via Military.com, 31 October 2026)
- https://www.ottumwacourier.com/news/national_news/iran-targeted-us-air-defenses-then-hit-aircraft-and-buildings-on-mideast-bases-ap-analysis/article_d84985c5-5591-56f7-893d-fdbd7f3b2f77.html (Associated Press via Ottumwa Courier, 31 October 2026)
- https://live.eastoranews.com/2026/10/31/ap-finds-iranian-strikes-damaged-or-destroyed-structures-at-26-u-s-182559 (Eastora News, 31 October 2026)
