Leaked Photos Reveal Significant Damage to US Bases in Middle East

Previously unseen photographs leaked by American service members appear to reveal substantial damage to U.S. military bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait resulting from Iranian missile and drone attacks. The images depict destroyed aircraft, gutted buildings, flattened trailers, and burned-out vehicles at facilities in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

One particularly striking photograph shows a Boeing E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia with its rear section severely damaged. The aircraft's tail is severed from its fuselage, and its radar system is also reportedly compromised. Debris is scattered around the mangled aircraft. The U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry functions as an airborne command center and radar platform, providing vital surveillance and target detection.

Other images from Prince Sultan Air Base show buildings and barracks damaged by Iranian strikes, with roofs ripped open and structures exposed. Concrete barriers, designed to protect against explosions, are seen standing beside some of the wreckage.

The devastation extends to bases in Kuwait. Photographs from Camp Buehring, a major staging point for U.S. troops, armored vehicles, and aircraft, show a burned-out vehicle and rows of flattened trailers. At Camp Arifjan, also in Kuwait, a multi-story building appears badly damaged, and another image shows dark smoke billowing from a large tent-like structure.

These images contrast with public statements from the Trump administration and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who have emphasized the effectiveness of U.S. operations and defenses against Iran. The Pentagon's own watchdog has provided official evidence of widespread Iranian attacks against American bases in eight countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan. Equipment losses have been estimated at up to $3.7 billion, including nearly 60 aircraft.

According to a report by the Defense Department inspector general, Operation Epic Fury, which ran from February 28 to June 30, cost $33.4 billion, with $22.3 billion spent on munitions alone. The report warned that the expenditure has resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed bottlenecks in munitions resupply.

President Donald Trump has previously described Iran's military capabilities as devastated, stating on social media that the country has "no Navy" and "no Air Force." However, the leaked photographs offer a counterpoint, illustrating significant damage inflicted on U.S. forces.

Service members who provided the photographs expressed concern that the scale of the damage had not been adequately communicated to the American public. One service member stated, "This is major damage to our bases that hasn't been communicated to the American public. We're standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face."

Reports indicate that U.S. facilities elsewhere in the region have also sustained damage. Iranian strikes against Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan reportedly damaged multiple American aircraft, including an A-10 Thunderbolt that lost a wing. Approximately eight F-15 fighter jets sustained lighter damage and were returned to service.

Previously, Prince Sultan Air Base experienced casualties, with ten American service members injured during an Iranian missile-and-drone assault in March.