Iranian strikes on bases used by US caused $800m in damage, new analysis shows

SOURCE: bbc.com  |  PUBLISHED: 20 March 2026 at 22:34

Much of the damage was caused in initial retaliatory strikes by Iran in the week after the US and Israel launched its operation.

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AI Impact Analysis — Score: 7/10

Iranian strikes on US military bases across the Middle East have caused an estimated $800 million in damage, according to new analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and BBC Verify — a figure higher than previously acknowledged. The bulk of the destruction occurred in the early weeks of the conflict, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on 28 February. A single strike on a Thaad missile defence radar system in Jordan accounts for roughly $485 million of that total, highlighting the strategic precision of Iran’s targeting of high-value US air-defence infrastructure. Repeated strikes on bases in Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia suggest Iran is conducting a deliberate and sustained campaign, reportedly aided by Russian intelligence sharing. For European nations hosting or operating near US military assets in the region, this raises serious concerns about the vulnerability of shared defence infrastructure and alliance commitments. The confirmed deaths of 13 US service members, combined with an estimated civilian death toll approaching 1,400, signals a rapidly escalating human cost that will intensify pressure on Western governments to define their positions on the conflict. The US Defence Department has declined to comment publicly on the damage, raising transparency concerns among allied nations who depend on shared threat assessments. Economically, prolonged instability in the Middle East threatens energy supply routes critical to Europe, with potential knock-on effects for fuel prices and broader economic stability. The scale of military expenditure and infrastructure losses also points to a protracted conflict with no clear resolution in sight, complicating diplomatic efforts by European powers seeking a ceasefire.

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