Estimating the Damage to US Strategic Facilities in the Middle East

The US administration has remained reluctant to disclose the financial cost of its war against Iran, which began on February 28, 2026. An equally important question remains unanswered: why is Washington avoiding a comprehensive disclosure of the damage inflicted on its military installations across the Middle East?

An Associated Press investigation, based on satellite imagery and interviews with regional officials, provides a revealing account. Through August, more than 115 Iranian or Iranian-backed drone and missile strikes had damaged or destroyed structures at 26 military bases and other sites housing US equipment.

Iran's strategy was particularly significant. Rather than limiting its retaliation to conventional military installations, Tehran initially concentrated on early-warning radars and systems designed to detect incoming attacks. These included strategically important facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar.

The consequences were substantial. At least 15 US aircraft were reportedly damaged, while aircraft hangars, refuelling tankers, communication systems, fuel bunkers, troop accommodation and other infrastructure suffered considerable damage. One sophisticated radar system destroyed in Jordan was among only 13 possessed by the US Army globally, with an estimated replacement cost of around US$500 million.

Kuwait's Ali Al Salem Air Base was reportedly struck at least 30 times, damaging or destroying 15 aircraft hangars. Camp Buehring also sustained extensive damage.

More importantly, the US has reportedly moved aircraft, air defence systems, communications equipment and other military assets away from the Persian Gulf. This raises questions about the resilience of America's military presence and the credibility of its security commitments in the region.

Washington frequently invokes operational security to justify withholding information. However, prolonged silence also invites speculation about the actual scale of losses and the enormous expenditure required to restore damaged facilities. Replacing sophisticated military equipment and rebuilding infrastructure could cost billions of dollars and potentially take several years.

The Trump administration must also recognize that another round of hostilities could expose remaining American installations to further retaliation, adding to the financial and strategic burden.

The larger lesson is that expensive military infrastructure does not guarantee security against relatively inexpensive drones and precision-guided missiles. As Raphael Cohen, a RAND analyst, observed, the changing nature of warfare makes all militaries vulnerable to large-scale, low-cost drone attacks.

America must explain not only how much it spent prosecuting this war but also the extent of damage to its strategic infrastructure and the estimated cost of restoring it. Withholding the figures cannot erase the damage or its long-term strategic consequences.