Iran's Upgraded Missiles and Drones Cause Up to $15 Billion Damage to US Bases: Report

Iran has significantly enhanced its missile and drone capabilities, leading to as much as $15 billion in damage to US military bases in the Middle East since the conflict began, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The analysis focused on a July 17 strike that killed three American service members at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, highlighting Iran's increasingly precise and devastating tactics.

Unlike earlier attacks, the July assault directly targeted 19 buildings housing American troops during the night, as confirmed by Journal sources and satellite imagery. The data indicates that Iran's targeting has become more accurate, hitting smaller structures than those it struck at the start of the war. This complexity suggests that Iran's capabilities have been improving, contrary to claims by the Trump administration that they were diminishing.

Iran's heaviest assaults occurred early in the war, damaging at least 119 buildings across 13 installations within the first two weeks. Despite US-Israeli joint airstrikes that destroyed a large portion of Tehran's missile network, Iranian attacks persisted. The Journal estimates that Iran has since hit another 155 structures, with 13 more military installations damaged by the end of July.

More than 20 US service members have died in the Iran war, with over 400 wounded, according to the Defense Department. The Pentagon estimates that US bases in the region have suffered at least $5 billion in damages, but the true cost could be as high as $15 billion, the WSJ reported. This amount is not included in the DoD's latest war cost estimates, which stand at $47.1 billion as of October 16.

The report underscores the evolving threat posed by Iran's military advancements, which have enabled more sophisticated and costly attacks on US assets. As tensions persist, the full extent of the damage and its implications for regional security remain a concern for US defense officials.