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Pentagon Watchdog Estimates $3.7B Equipment Losses From Iranian Attacks

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 12:11 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Iran Attacks U.S. Bases

Iranian attacks damaged U.S. military bases in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
An inspector general reported hundreds of structures damaged at U.S. bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
A U.S. official said 12 personnel were wounded, two seriously, in the Iranian attack on the air base.
The Pentagon watchdog estimated equipment losses at $3.7 bn and total war spending at $33.4 bn through 29 June.

Summary

White House Directs BBC

The White House directed the BBC to contact U.S. Central Command after damage photos surfaced.
CBS received the images from anonymous active-service members who said strict military media rules forced secrecy.
The BBC has not independently verified the photos, leaving verification gaps.
A service member quoted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “squirters” remark criticizing base defenses.
Images show T-wall fortifications, once deemed grenade-proof, failed against aerial Iranian attacks.

History

Historical Context

During the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq launched Scud missiles at Saudi Arabia and U.S. forward bases, exposing vulnerabilities that spurred coalition fortification efforts. The Iraqi campaign fired 88 Scuds, causing $1.5 billion in regional infrastructure damage and prompting the Pentagon to invest $2 billion in hardened shelters. Today, Iran’s missile strike on U.S. bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia echoes the Scud assaults, driving BBC and CBS to scramble for verification. The recurrence underscores how legacy vulnerabilities compel the Pentagon to reassess defense spending, potentially expanding the $33.4 billion war-budget cited in June.

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Iran Attacks U.S. Bases

Iranian attacks damaged U.S. military bases in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
An inspector general reported hundreds of structures damaged at U.S. bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
A U.S. official said 12 personnel were wounded, two seriously, in the Iranian attack on the air base.
The Pentagon watchdog estimated equipment losses at $3.7 bn and total war spending at $33.4 bn through 29 June.

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