Photos obtained by CBS show extensive damage to US military sites in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait from Iranian strikes. The images depict destroyed radar jets, flattened trailers, and damaged buildings. One unnamed military source described the situation as major damage not communicated to the American public. While undated, some photos correlate with earlier reports of attacks on Prince Sultan Air Force Base in March where a Boeing E-3 Sentry was severely damaged. The Pentagon's watchdog report confirms hundreds of structures at US bases across the Middle East have been destroyed or damaged, with losses totalling $3.7 billion.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In a report released on Monday by the Pentagon's Inspector General, it was revealed that the six-month war on Iran has led to significant munitions shortages and industrial base bottlenecks for resupply in the United States. Between February 28 and June 30, Operation Epic Fury cost an estimated $33.4 billion, with $22.3 billion spent solely on munitions. The conflict resulted in extensive damage: four F-15 fighter jets destroyed, up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones lost, one F-35 jet and seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged, and hundreds of buildings at U.S. bases across Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan were either damaged or destroyed.
Despite these shortages, President Donald Trump has repeatedly downplayed the issue, claiming that the U.S. possesses "virtually unlimited amounts" of ammunition. However, Pentagon officials have confirmed ongoing challenges in resupplying munitions due to increased demand and industrial constraints. The report underscores the logistical strain and financial burden of sustaining such a prolonged military operation against Iran. Despite these setbacks, Trump remains open to negotiating an end to hostilities but retains final authority over any potential resolution.
Written for “Iran War Munitions Shortfall” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 24 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 13885 · logged 2026-09-16
- Published
Images showing widespread damage to multiple US sites in the Middle East from Iranian strikes have been obtained by the BBC's US partner CBS.
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Images → publish → partner
The photos, provided by active military personnel, show a severed radar jet, flattened trailers and severely damaged buildings.
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photos → provide → jet
The undated photos were taken at US bases and sites in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
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photos → take → Arabia
One member of the military, who was not named by CBS, said: "This is major damage to our bases that hasn't been communicated to the American public.
"
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that → name → public
We're standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face."
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eyes → stand → face
The White House and US Central Command have been approached for comment.
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House → approach → comment
The photos, which have not been independently verified by the BBC, were published the day after a report from the Pentagon's watchdog confirmed hundreds of buildings and structures at US bases in the Middle East have been damaged and destroyed by Iran.
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hundreds → verify → Iran
One of the photos showed a destroyed Boeing E-3 Sentry at Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia that has been ripped in half, its tail section crumpled into a tangled mess of metal.
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section → show → metal
While the photo is undated, BBC Verify previously confirmed a similar photo, apparently of the same radar aircraft in March.
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Verify → undate → March
The Boeing E-3 Awacs are used to detect and track potential targets at long ranges to provide an early warning of possible threats.
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Awacs → use → threats
At the time, a US official told Reuters that 12 US personnel had been wounded, two of them seriously, in an Iranian attack on the air base.
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two → tell → base
A pair of undated images reportedly from Camp Beuhring, Kuwait, show crumpled trailers, and a large tent-like structure that had been reduced to shreds as smoke billowed from the site.
uncertain
smoke → show → site
Another image shows a four-storey building damaged by an Iranian strike at Camp Arifjan, in Kuwait.
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image → show → Kuwait
Damage to the site was reported in March, including on satellite communications hardware, though it is not clear whether this image is from the same attack.
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image → report → attack
The images were published on the heels of a report from the Pentagon's watchdog, which found Iranian strikes had "damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan during the conflict".
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strikes → publish → conflict
It also noted that equipment losses have totalled $3.7bn (£2.8bn). Overall, the US spent $33.4bn (£24.7bn) on the war up to 29 June, the report said.
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report → note → June
In the months after the war began, "dozens of US aircraft were destroyed or damaged", the report continues.
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report → begin → aircraft
The document lists several of the aircraft damaged, including five refuelling aircraft which were "damaged or destroyed on the ground in Saudi Arabia by Iranian munitions".
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which → list → munitions
Public and political pressure has mounted on the White House to find an end to the conflict with Iran, which began on 28 February when the US and Israel launched joint attacks on the country.
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US → mount → country
Since the war began Iran has repeatedly attacked US bases and allied states in the Gulf, as well as Israel.
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Iran → begin → Gulf
On Tuesday night, the US House of Representatives voted for the third time to end the war in Iran, approving a measure that would force President Donald Trump to end US military action without congressional approval.
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that → vote → approval
The vote passed with the help of several Republicans, in what is likely to be the final such House vote ahead of the US midterm elections in November.
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what → pass → November
The Aporia
