Iran struck over 15 US Military sites across the Middle East - Cosmos Chronicle
In purely military terms, the results of the first weeks of Operation Epic Fury were impressive. The initial strikes hit IRGC command centers, air-defense facilities, missile and drone positions, and military airfields. During the opening phase of the war, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed, while a significant part of the senior military leadership […]
In purely military terms, the results of the first weeks of Operation Epic Fury were impressive. The initial strikes hit IRGC commandcenters,air-defense facilities, missile and drone positions, and military airfields. During the opening phase of the war, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed, while a significant part of the senior military leadership waseliminatedor removed from the chain of command. Israel is Politically and Militarily ParalyzedContinued. Read Part I of the series:America’s Military Machine in the Iran WarThe naval forces suffered particularly heavy losses. In less than three weeks, the Pentagon reported more than 120 Iranian vesselsdamagedor sunk, including all 11 submarines. CENTCOM later raised the number of damaged or destroyed vessels to more than 155. At the same time, the US command reported a sharp decline in theintensityof Iran’s ballistic missile and drone attacks. Iran deploys North Korean Attack Submarines to support Hormuz Strait Security OperationsThe First Strike: Decapitate and ParalyzeFirst, let us briefly recall what the United States and Israel managed todestroyin the first hours and days:leadership and command structures;a significant part of the air-defense network;missile facilities and launchers;naval infrastructure;ships and submarines;warehouses and production facilities. We will not repeat the figures from the first article. Here, it is enough to show the logic behind the attacker’s initial strategy: the strike wasintendedto create shock, disrupt command and sharply reduce Iran’s ability to respond in an organized manner. Western Airlines lose almost 50% of World’s Airspace as War with Iran DevelopsBy the end of the first month of the war, the White House stated that Iran’s navy had been destroyed, its air force was in ruins, and asignificantpart of the regime’s leadership had been eliminated. This was, of course, the assessment of the US administration itself, but the scale of the physicaldestructioninflicted on Iran’smilitarycapabilities was indeed enormous. It would seem that after a strike of such magnitude, the only remaining question should have been when Iran wouldsurrenderand on what terms. Why is Israel trying to Down-play Havoc wreaked by Iranian missilesHowever, the first days of the war showed the opposite. Iran did not attempt to respond to the United Statessymmetrically. It did not have two carrier strike groups, hundreds of modern fighter jets or the ability to conduct a comparable air campaign. Tehran therefore relied on what it possessed in large quantities: ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and one-way attack drones. Its targets included not only Israel and US militaryfacilitiesthemselves, but virtually the entire infrastructure of the American presence in the region. According to the independent organization Airwars, during the first 40 days of the war alone, Iran launched about 650 ballistic missiles andthousandsof attack drones at Israel. Iran fires Missiles at secret Israeli Command Base in northern IraqAt the same time, Airwars estimates that approximately 6,400 missiles and unmanned systems were directed at US-aligned states in the Persian Gulf. This is not official Pentagon or Iranianstatistics,but rather the result of open-source monitoring. Nevertheless, it provides an indication of the scale of Iran’s retaliatory campaign. Another point is equally important: Iran’s response almost immediately ceased to be abilateralconflict with the United States and Israel. On March 2, the United States, together with the governments of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, officially reported Iranian missile and drone attacks on theterritoriesof Bahrain, Iraq, including Iraqi Kurdistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Thus, within just a few days, the geography of Iran’s response hadencompassedmuch of the Middle East. True Promise III: A barrage of Iranian missiles explode over IsraelIsrael: About 650 Ballistic Missiles and Thousands of DronesIsrael remained the main destination for Iran’s direct missile response. During the first 40 days, Airwars estimated that Iranlaunchedapproximately 650 ballistic missiles and thousands of one-way attack drones. Although Israel’s air defenses intercepted and shot down about 95% of the missiles and drones, Airwars recorded more than 100 incidentsinvolvingdamage to Israel’s civilian population and the West Bank. At the same time, most of the damage to residential structures was caused not by the ballistic missiles themselves, but by debris frominterceptedwarheads weighing a ton or more. Powerful Iranian missiles inflicted heavy losses during 12-day war with IsraelStrikes and fallingwarheadswere recorded in different parts of the country. The Associated Press reported damage to residential buildings in Tel Aviv, facilities in Beit Shemesh, a road inJerusalemand the impact of an Iranian warhead near the Old City. At the same time, the Israeli military traditionally did not disclose information about hits on most Israeli military facilities. But Israel was only onedirectionof Iran’s response. Iran inflicted ‘extensive’ damage to US military basesUAE: More Than 1,000 Drones and Hundreds of MissilesThe pressure on the United Arab Emiratesprovedparticularly intense. According to UAE authorities, cited by the Associated Press, 205 ballistic missiles and 1,184 drones were detected in the country’sairspaceduring the first week of the war. Most were intercepted, but some drones and debris reached the country. On a single day, Emirati forces reporteddestroyingnine ballistic missiles and intercepting 109 drones. France orders Carrier Strike Group led by the Charles de Gaulle to Persian GulfThe strikes did not target only US facilities. On March 1, two Iranian drones hit a naval base at Port Zayed in Abu Dhabiusedby the French armed forces. The impacts were confirmed by video footage and satellite imagery; French and Emirati authorities reported no casualties. Subsequent satelliteanalysisshowed damage to US missile-defense infrastructure in the UAE, including elements of the THAAD system. The Israeli military are now attached to the US Navy 5ft Fleet in BahrainBahrain: Strike on the US Fifth Fleet HeadquartersBahrain is of particular importance to the United States because it is home to the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet. It was among thetargets. The Associated Press reported that by the end of the first week alone, Bahraini authorities had recorded 75 Iranian ballistic missiles: 65 were destroyed by airdefenses,while another 10 fell within the kingdom. At the same time, 124 drones were detected, 88 of which were shot down. An Iranian missile also struck a government oil refinery in Maamir. But the subsequentassessmentof the military infrastructure proved far more significant. Iran strikes US-operated Sheikh Isa Air Base in BahrainA Washington Post investigation based on satellite imagery identified damage at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, theheadquartersof the US Fifth Fleet. Among the damaged facilities was a satellite antenna, along with other infrastructure elements. According to theinvestigation,a significant share of the confirmed damage to US facilities occurred in Bahrain and at several bases in Kuwait. Iran attacks US Aircraft Carrier & 27 Military bases after assassination of its LeaderQatar: Al Udeid also proved VulnerableAnother key target was Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, one of the mostimportantUS military centers in the Middle East. Qatar’s Ministry of Defense reported an incident in which 14 ballistic missiles and four drones were launched at thecountry:all four drones and 13 missiles were intercepted, while another missile fell into the sea. A day earlier, Iran had launched two more ballistic missiles, one of which struck the area of Al Udeid Air Base. No casualties werereportedat the time. Iran fires missiles @ US military bases in QatarA subsequent satellite analysis by The Washington Post identified damage to at least two satellite communicationsfacilitiesat Al Udeid. This is an important detail: the Iranian strikes were aimed not only at runways or warehouses, but also atcommunications,radar, missile defense and command systems — the infrastructure that enables the US military network to function. Kuwait: One of the Most Heavily Hit US Military HubsThe situation for US forces in Kuwait proved particularly serious. Several major American facilities were located there,includingAli Al Salem Air Base, Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring. US Military Deployed 500. 000 Troops in Kuwait, but cannot win War against IranA satellite analysis by The Washington Post identified damage to barracks, hangars, warehouses, radar facilities and energy infrastructure. At Ali Al Salem,elementsof the Patriot system and radar installations were damaged; at Camp Arifjan, radar domes were hit; at Camp Buehring, a power plant and other facilities were damaged. The first independent satellite imagery of Camp Buehring, obtained in early March, showed at least two damaged buildings, while videofootagecaptured a Shahed drone approaching andexplodingdirectly on the base. The US Embassy in Kuwait also came under attack. The Associated Press reported that satellite imagery showed the destruction of the complex’s main building andsignsof a major fire. USA does not want peace and prepares for more Airstrikes against IranUS forces suffered particularly painful losses in Kuwait. According to a subsequent Washington Post investigation, six American servicemen werekilledin early March when an Iranian drone struck a tactical operations center. Saudi Arabia: From the US Embassy to an Air BaseSaudi Arabia also became a direct target of Iran’s response. According to Saudi authorities, two drones struck the US embassy compound in Riyadh, causing a small fire and limited damage. Iranian drones alsoattackedthe Ras Tanura oil complex, while a cruise missile was intercepted over the Al-Kharj area. Satellite analysis also identified damage at Prince Sultan Air Base. Among the damaged assets, The Washington Post identified an E-3 Sentryairborneearly warning and control aircraft and an aerial refueling tanker. Today Private Soldiers of Fortune are fighting in Global WarsThus, Iran sought to strike not simply air bases themselves, but the most scarce elements of US aviation infrastructure —commandand control systems and aerial refueling capabilities. Jordan: Strike on Missile DefenseJordan also became part of the American war-fighting system and, consequently, part of Iran’s target network. Satellite imagery showed damage to radars andequipmentbelonging to the US THAAD system at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. Deadly Drone attack on US Military Base in JordanIranian missiles and drones repeatedly crossed Jordanian airspace. During the first week alone, several people were injured bydebrisfollowing air-defense operations. The attacks on US infrastructure in Jordan continued later, demonstrating that even after several weeks ofbombardment,Iran retained the ability to strike facilities at considerable distances from its own territory. Iraq: Erbil and US InfrastructureIranian forces and groups aligned with Tehran also attacked US facilities in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan. Large-scale missile anddronelaunches were recorded around Erbil. US Military Invasion of Iraq helped bolster Chinese, Iranian influence in Middle EastSeveral drones headed toward the area of the US consulate; some were intercepted, while debris caused fires and material damage. Iraqi groupsalignedwith Iran simultaneously announced attacks on facilities housing US personnel. By the end of March, the governments of six Arab states separately called on Baghdad to halt the activities of pro-Iranian armed groups using Iraqiterritoryto launch attacks against neighboring countries. The Strikes reached beyond the Persian GulfThe geography of Iran’s response proved even broader. On March 1, a Shahed attack drone reached the British RAF Akrotiri base inCyprusand caused minor damage. The following day, two more drones heading toward the base were intercepted. British F-35B Fighters deployed in Cyprus to support the war against IranThus, Iran’s retaliatory campaign covered not only Israel and US bases in the Persian Gulf states, but also military facilities belonging to Western countriesacrossa much wider area. 15 US Military Bases and @ least 228 damaged ObjectsThe most comprehensive picture of the actual effectiveness of Iran’s strikes emerged later, when journalists were able tocompareIranian publications with satellite imagery. The Washington Post investigation examined more than 100 high-resolution satellite images and cross-checked themusingEurope’s Copernicus system and commercial imagery from Planet. Iran inflicted ‘extensive’ damage to US military basesThe analysis identified 217 damaged or destroyed structures and 11 pieces of equipment — at least 228 objects across 15 US militarysitesin total. The damaged facilities included barracks and residential buildings, hangars and warehouses, fuel storage facilities, radar stations, Patriot and THAAD systems, satellitecommunicationsequipment, command posts, aircraft and aviation equipment, and energy infrastructure. By the end of April, seven US servicemen had been killed and more than 400 wounded in attacks on Americanfacilities. Most returned to duty relatively quickly, but the US military classified at least 12 wounded personnel as having suffered serious injuries. USA must pay $130 Billion in Damages to Iran after World Court Rules against Trump AdministrationThe Washington Post itself stressed that the figure of 228 objects was not the final total, but only the damage that could beconfirmedusing available satellite imagery. Access to high-quality commercial satellite images of the region became significantly more limited after the first weeks of the war. For this reason, the actualscaleof the strikes may have been greater. The Asymmetric ResponseThe result is a completely different picture from what might have beenexpectedafter the initial American strikes. The United States and Israel achieved air superiority over Iran and destroyed a significant part of its navy, air defenses, missileproductionfacilities, launchers and command infrastructure. Iran, however, proved capable of waging a completely different kind of war. Not aircraft against aircraft. Not carrier against carrier. Iran shoots down U. S. MQ-9 Reaper drones and F-15 & F-16 JetsA missile and a cheap drone against a vast network of stationary US bases, airfields, headquarters, radars,warehousesand allied infrastructure. This is where a weakness emerged that the initial US plan, judging by the results of the campaign,underestimated:Iran did not necessarily have to defeat the American military machine. It only had to survive the initial strike and retain the ability to make the entire US regional system pay for every additional day of war. But missiles anddroneswere only the first part of Iran’s response. British Airways extends flight cuts to Middle EastWhen War brought Tourism in the Middle East to a HaltThe next blow proved far more painful for the United States and its allies. It was aimed not only at military bases, but at the normal life of the entire region:aviation,airports, tourism, trade and maritime transportation. Over recent decades, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha have become not merely tourist destinations, but some of the world’s largesttransportationhubs. Dubai International alone handled a record 95. 2 million passengers and nearly 455,000 flights in 2025 — anaverageof about 260,000 passengers and more than 1,200 takeoffs and landings every day. UAE restores Passenger Air Traffic after Iran War-related disruptionBy the summer of 2026, Abu Dhabi was handling about 93,000 passengers and nearly 500 flights per day. Through the hubs of Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad, at least 90,000 people traveled daily on connecting routes alone. The entire finely tuned system began to collapse within hours. After the war began, the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Israel and parts of the Gulf states wasclosedor sharply restricted. More than 2,800 flights were canceled on a single Sunday, while during the first days, restrictions affected nearly 13,000 of the 32,000 scheduledflightsin the region. Dubai International effectively ceased normal operations, while Qatar Airways and Etihad suspended a significant portion of their flights. Israel’s ‘War to the Root’ may unravel Hegemony of AmericaThousands of people became stranded at airports and hotels, and governments began organizing evacuation flights. States that had spent decadessellingthe world an image of absolute safety, comfort and predictability found themselves part of a major war zone almost overnight. The blow to cruise tourism was equally symbolic. Six major cruise ships carrying around 15,000 passengers and more than 6,000 crew members became stranded in the ports of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Saudi Arabia also has nukes according to ex-Iranian commanderPeople who had been buying cruises through one of the world’s most prosperous tourist regions only a day earlier suddenly found themselves aboard ships surrounded by missilewarnings,closed airports and no normal way to return home. This was perhaps the first genuine psychological shock of the war for the Gulf states. The question was no longer whether an American base couldwithstandseveral Iranian missiles. The very reputation of the region as a safe global center for tourism, aviation, business and transit was at stake. What had been built over decades and taken almost for granted proved capable of beingparalyzedwithin a matter of hours. Russia is turning its Military into a High-tech ArsenalBut even that was not theend. Iran’s most powerful instrument of pressure was neither in its missile silos nor at its military bases. It was on the map. The narrowmaritimecorridor between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula allowed Tehran to do something thousands of missiles could not: transfer the consequences of a regional war to the global economy. When geography becomes a weapon — the Strait of Hormuz, oil and the consequences of its effective blockade for the globaleconomy— will be examined in the next installment of the “Geopolitics Made Simple” series. Pravda / ABC Flash Point News 2026. 41voteArticle Rating