Iran is leveraging Chinese satellite technology to accurately target U.S. military sites in the Middle East, according to a former UK intelligence officer. Beijing is allegedly orchestrating a proxy war by facilitating strikes on American bases, a development that could reshape regional security and alter the balance of power in the Pacific.
Philip Ingram, a former UK military intelligence officer, stated that China is using the conflict to test its military capabilities against the U.S. He claims that intelligence and targeting support provided to Iran, as well as to Russia, allows China to refine its own targeting and military technology through a proxy. Ingram suggested that China is growing stronger as U.S. weapons stocks are depleted.
The conflict has resulted in billions of pounds worth of U.S. military hardware being destroyed and 16 American soldiers killed, exposing vulnerabilities in U.S. airfields, including those in Guam. On a recent Saturday, two U.S. personnel died in an attack on Muwaffaq Air Base in Jordan. On the same night, Iranian missiles reportedly struck U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
Figures from May indicated that at least 228 U.S. military structures had been hit since the conflict began, with the number likely higher. This includes fighter jets, intelligence-gathering aircraft, and critical radar, communications, and air defense equipment.
Iran has reportedly been utilizing a Chinese-built TEE-01B satellite, which provides high-resolution imagery, through an agreement with a Beijing-based technology company. China officially denies providing direct military assistance to Iran. Previously, Russia was thought to be supplying the intelligence that enabled Iran to target U.S. bases effectively.
On Sunday, Iran continued its attacks, with three missiles reportedly shot down over Jordan, while a fourth landed in a remote area. Sirens were heard in the Jordanian capital, Amman, and Iranian missiles also targeted the port city of Aqaba. Kuwait reported that Iran targeted a water distillation plant for a second time.
The International Atomic Energy Agency is investigating reports of an attack on the construction site of a planned Iranian nuclear power station. No nuclear material was present at the site during the agency's last inspection.
Amidst the ongoing fighting, Qatar and Iraq are reportedly attempting to mediate between the U.S. and Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global trade, remains closed.