Reporters identified 274 damaged structures at 24 Middle East military installations
The Journal identified 274 damaged structures at 24 Middle East installations with a U.S. military presence during the war’s first six months, its most comprehensive public accounting to date. Reporters analyzed lower-resolution public imagery from the European Union, inspected tens of thousands of satellite images and reviewed NASA fire data. The Pentagon declined to provide specific damage assessments.
More context
A Wall Street Journal analysis identified 274 damaged structures at 24 installations with a U.S. military presence across the Middle East during the war’s first six months, calling it the most comprehensive public accounting of the damage to date. The Journal relied on lower-resolution public satellite imagery from the European Union after major U.S. commercial satellite companies stopped releasing high-resolution images of regional military sites early in the war. Reporters examined tens of thousands of images and reviewed NASA fire data and Iranian state media. The Pentagon has declined to provide specific assessments of base damage. The Journal’s analysis said Iran’s July strikes marked a shift toward directly targeting buildings housing American troops. Satellite imagery showed a July 17 strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan killed three U.S. servicemembers and damaged at least 19 buildings where troops sleep.
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Reporting
- The Wall Street Journal — The Methodology Behind the Journal’s Investigation of Damage to U.S. Bases - WSJ
- The Wall Street Journal — How Iran Battered U.S. Bases and Caused Billions in Damage - WSJ
Verifier’s note
The Wall Street Journal reports damage at 24 installations and explains the satellite-image analysis behind its investigation, matching the claims and timing. House of Saud’s result concerns a different event.