Iranian strikes damaged 3 US bases in Gulf: Report

Washington: A destroyed aircraft, shredded tents, trailers that have been ripped apart: images taken by US troops show significant damage from Iranian strikes targeting American military assets in the Middle East, CBS News reported.

The undated images -- taken at a base in Saudi Arabia and two facilities in Kuwait -- were provided to CBS by American personnel on condition of anonymity due to US military restrictions, the outlet said late Tuesday.

"This is major damage to our bases that hasn't been communicated to the American public," CBS quoted one US service member as saying.


"We're standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face," the service member added.

The Pentagon's inspector general released a report earlier this week that said the military's Central Command (CENTCOM) -- which is responsible for US forces in the Middle East -- had reported widespread damage to American facilities and equipment.

CENTCOM said Iranian strikes "damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan," the report said.

"In addition, dozens of US aircraft were destroyed or damaged" during the war, the report said.

The Defense Department estimated the cost of the war at $33.4 billion as of June 29, but that figure "does not include costs for infrastructure repairs," according to the report.

The US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28, with President Donald Trump saying the goal was to prevent the Islamic republic from obtaining nuclear weapons -- which Tehran denies it is seeking.

Iran retaliated with attacks across the region and blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of world oil supplies previously flowed -- a move that has sent oil prices soaring and caused global economic fallout.