Anonymous US service members have supplied CBS News with photographs purportedly showing extensive damage to American military facilities across the Middle East following Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The troops claimed the scale of destruction had not been fully conveyed to the US public and raised concerns about the effectiveness of air defences protecting American installations.
The images reportedly include a destroyed E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia, along with damaged buildings and burned-out vehicles at bases in Kuwait.
A US War Department inspector general report reportedly estimated equipment losses at $3.7 billion, including nearly 60 aircraft, with hundreds of structures damaged or destroyed across bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.
Iranian officials have meanwhile said the strikes were retaliation for US-Israeli military action against Iran and warned that further attacks would bring a stronger response.
🚨🇺🇸 🇮🇷 BREAKING: Troops leaked photos of their wrecked bases to CBS, saying they’re “standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face”
Active service members sent the images anonymously.
One soldier’s words: “We’re not defending these bases. We’re just watching… pic.twitter.com/zvxEyxB8wm
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 15, 2026
