Russian Satellites Enabled Iranian Strikes on U.S. Bases

The Federal Government of Russia deployed 14 spy satellites to gather intelligence on U.S. military installations, enabling Iran to conduct precise missile and drone attacks against U.S. assets in Saudi Arabia. Two days before a March 27 strike, these satellites used infrared imaging, all-weather radio signal detection, and Synthetic Aperture Radar to locate high-value targets.

The March 27 attack targeted Prince Sultan Air Base, where 12 U.S. soldiers were injured and a U.S. Air Force Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft was destroyed. Iranian forces also targeted a Central Intelligence Agency facility located within the U.S. embassy complex in Riyadh. Reports indicate the precision of these strikes would have been impossible without the Russian data.

In a separate operation in July, Iran utilized high-resolution imagery from Chinese companies to launch an attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. That strike resulted in the deaths of three U.S. soldiers.