WASHINGTON / MIDDLE EAST: Former US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor has claimed that China and Russia are providing satellite intelligence to Iran as the conflict with the United States escalates, alleging that several American bases and harbour facilities in the region have been severely damaged.
Speaking in an interview with a US local news channel, Macgregor said the battlefield situation was more serious than publicly acknowledged. “China and Russia are providing satellite intelligence… All of our bases have been destroyed. Our harbor installations are destroyed,” he said while discussing the ongoing hostilities.
Macgregor also suggested that the United States may have to rely on alternative regional logistical routes. “We actually have to fall back on India and Indian ports which is less than ideal,” he said, adding that Iran was “fairing very, very well” in the conflict.
His remarks have drawn attention across social media and defence circles. However, US officials have not publicly confirmed the scale of destruction described in his comments.
Reports of damage to US military assets
Macgregor’s statements come amid reports of significant damage to American military infrastructure during the early phase of the conflict with Iran.
Estimates compiled from open-source intelligence and defence reporting suggest that the United States has lost nearly $2 billion worth of military equipment in the first four days of the conflict.
US loses nearly $2 billion worth of military equipment in first four days of Iran conflict
The largest reported loss involves an AN/FPS-132 early warning radar system located at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The system, valued at about $1.1 billion, was reportedly struck during an Iranian missile attack. Qatari authorities confirmed that the radar installation was hit and sustained damage.
In another incident, three F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were reportedly lost in a friendly-fire episode involving Kuwaiti air defence systems. While the aircraft were destroyed, all six crew members survived.
Additional damage has also been reported at US military facilities across Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. Satellite communications terminals and radar components linked to missile defence systems have reportedly been struck during retaliatory attacks.
Multiple bases targeted across the Middle East
Iran has carried out strikes on several locations associated with US military operations since the conflict began.
Reported targets include the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, bases in Kuwait, installations near Erbil International Airport in Iraq, and facilities connected to US military operations in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Satellite imagery reviewed by international media has shown fires and structural damage at parts of the military installation near Erbil, where US forces are stationed. Images indicated that several structures were damaged during repeated attacks.
Other reported targets include Jebel Ali Port in the UAE, one of the US Navy’s most frequently used ports in the region, and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military facility in the Middle East.
Escalating regional tensions
The exchange of strikes between Iran and the United States has raised concerns about a wider regional escalation involving several strategic military sites.
The Middle East hosts a large network of US military bases used for air operations, naval logistics and missile defence. Damage to these installations could affect operational capabilities and security coordination across the region.
While claims about the scale of destruction continue to circulate, officials and analysts say the situation remains fluid as tensions between Washington and Tehran evolve.
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