Fresh photographic evidence has revealed the hidden scale of Iranian missile and drone strikes on US bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, showing destroyed aircraft, shredded tents, and gutted trailers. The Pentagon’s inspector general has confirmed hundreds of structures and dozens of aircraft lost, with the campaign costing nearly ₹2,78,000 crores, excluding rebuilding expenses.

Photographs supplied by active-duty US service members to CBS News depict the aftermath of Iranian strikes at Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia and at Camp Buehring and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.

The images show a Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft with its tail severed, hollowed-out barracks, destroyed trailers, and vehicles reduced to wreckage. Service members described the devastation as “major damage to our bases that hasn’t been communicated to the American public,” adding that personnel were “standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face.”

The Pentagon inspector general’s report confirmed that Iranian missile barrages damaged or demolished hundreds of buildings across US installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan. It also verified that dozens of US aircraft were either heavily impacted or destroyed, including strategic airborne early-warning platforms.

The report estimated the cost of Operation Epic Fury between 28 February and 30 June at $33.4 billion, equivalent to approximately ₹2,78,000 crores. Of this, nearly $22.3 billion, or ₹1,85,000 crores, was spent solely on munitions procurement and utilisation.

The fiscal tally excluded expenses for restoring compromised infrastructure, meaning the total economic burden will rise further. The inspector general also highlighted growing deficits in US ordnance inventories, contradicting President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that America’s ammunition supplies remain “virtually unlimited.” The Department of War has initiated accelerated acquisition and manufacturing programs to replenish critical raw materials, specialised components, and tactical munitions, but warned that expanding domestic industrial capacity will take considerable time.

The war began on 28 February when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, claiming the offensive was intended to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, a charge Iran has consistently denied. In retaliation, Iran targeted US bases across multiple Gulf states, striking aircraft, radar systems, fuel depots, and logistics hubs.

Iranian forces also moved to restrict navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime corridor that handles about one-fifth of global petroleum shipments. This disruption drove international crude oil prices upward and intensified concerns about the conflict’s destabilising effect on the global economy.

The newly released images underscore the operational consequences of precision Iranian strikes against high-value aircraft and vulnerable support infrastructure. Analysts warn that the destruction of scarce platforms such as the E-3 Sentry has degraded US surveillance and command capabilities in the region. 

Service members have expressed frustration at the lack of transparency, arguing that the scale of damage has been withheld from the public. Independent assessments suggest that rebuilding the damaged bases could take decades, further straining American military posture in the Middle East.

ANI