May 2, 2026
Among the 16 US bases hit were sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq, leaving many of them unusable.
"I have never seen anything like this at US bases," a person familiar with the damage told CNN. "These were fast and precise strikes, using advanced technology."
Iranian strikes destroyed advanced US aircraft, including an E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft, known as "the eyes of the United States in the Gulf," stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
Iran also destroyed critical communications equipment at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and radar systems at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
"Our radar systems are our most expensive and most limited asset in the region," the source said.
Iranian strikes also successfully targeted the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar in two separate attacks.
Al-Udeid is the largest US military base in West Asia, typically housing 10,000 US troops. It hosts a forward headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM), which directs US military operations across a region stretching from Egypt to Kazakhstan.
Other strikes damaged the Naval Support Activity Bahrain base, home to the US Fifth Fleet.
Camp Buehring in Kuwait, which serves as a staging ground for US troops entering Iraq, was also damaged in Iranian strikes.
Iran was able to strike US bases successfully thanks to detailed images produced by its TEE-014 satellite, purchased from China in 2024, CNN reported.
The satellite was a major upgrade, giving Iranian military commanders the ability to view US bases in the region with precision nearly identical to that enjoyed by the US military.
Gulf officials told CNN that US bases, which once instilled fear in enemies, are now viewed as "sitting targets."
"No matter how many Patriot missile systems the US deploys, US troops stationed so close to the front will be vulnerable to ballistic missiles and drones," stated Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a pro-Israel think tank.
A Saudi official told CNN that the war showed the Gulf monarchy that its alliance with the US was not "flawless" and that the kingdom could not rely solely on Washington to guarantee its security.
According to Stars and Stripes, "Within hours of the first US attacks, military personnel and residents were running for cover as Iranian drones and missiles pummeled the base, sending clouds of fire and black smoke into the sky."
"There's a question of, what does the US want after this? Do they still think that their military resources are best placed so close to Iran and inside the Gulf? On the western side of the Strait of Hormuz?" Todman stated.
In response to the CNN report, a Pentagon official stated, "We do not discuss battle damage assessments from the war for security reasons. Our forces remained fully operational, and we continue to carry out our mission with the same level of readiness and effectiveness."
The US and Iran have not traded fire since a ceasefire took effect three weeks ago. Negotiations for a permanent end to the war have been at a stalemate over the White House's refusal to lift a blockade on Iranian ports.
On Thursday, Tehran reportedly submitted a new proposal to end the war. However, Trump told reporters on Friday he was not satisfied with the proposal.
"We have just had a conversation with Iran. We will see what happens. But I am not happy," the president stated.
On Saturday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that the Islamic Republic is prepared to engage in diplomacy if Washington abandons its excessive demands and stops using threatening language.
On 2 May, the US Treasury's
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) threatened shipping companies with
punitive sanctions for paying Iran to secure safe passage through the Strait of
Hormuz.
The advisory states that any payments — whether cash, digital assets, or donations — could trigger sanctions, even when made by ships seeking to ensure their own security during transit.
OFAC emphasized that “these risks exist regardless of the payment method,” warning both US and non-US entities from participating in Iran’s new transit fee system.
Since the US and Israel launched an illegal war of aggression against Iran, Tehran has restricted access to the strategic waterway while offering limited safe passage to non-hostile states along routes closer to its coastline, setting up what has been described as a “toll booth.”
Washington has responded with a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports since 13 April, aiming to cut oil exports and pressure Tehran economically.
This so-called “double blockade” has caused shipping traffic through the strait to collapse, pushed energy and fertilizer prices sharply higher, and left countries facing mounting economic losses as soaring fuel costs ripple through global markets.
US officials say dozens of commercial vessels have already been forced to turn back, others attacked and seized, as traffic through the strait drops sharply below normal levels.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the ongoing US naval blockade and siege on Iranian ports as “intolerable,” while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remains open to diplomacy if Washington changes its “expansionist approach” and “threatening rhetoric.”
Meanwhile, a senior Iranian commander warned that “a renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely,” adding that “evidence has shown that the United States is not committed to any promises or agreements.”
Talks remain stalled as back-and-forth demands are exchanged, as the US navy engages in piracy by seizing vessels like the Iranian-flagged Touska.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump boastfully claimed the US is acting "like pirates" by taking over ships and cargo as part of a "very profitable business" to cripple Tehran’s economy.
The Israeli army used the US
headquarters in Kiryat Gat in Israel to coordinate with military officers from
several countries to obstruct the Global Freedom Flotilla sailing to Gaza to
break Israel's blockade of the strip, Israeli media reported on 1 May.
Israeli officials took advantage of meetings held inside the US-led Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC) with officers from the militaries of various countries to raise the issue of the flotilla and push to block its arrival in Gaza by sea.
In the early hours of 30 April, Israeli Army Radio announced that Israeli forces had seized the ships of the Freedom Flotilla near Greece and abducted the activists on board.
The CMCC in Kiryat Gat was established in October 2025 under the auspices of US President Donald Trump's “Board of Peace,” allegedly to oversee the entry of humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Gaza after a ceasefire was reached with Hamas.
Officers from the US, Egypt, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Germany, France, and Spain were dispatched to staff the CMCC. However, the Spanish officers were expelled in April 2026 following Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez's, criticism of Israel's killing of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon.
The meetings in Kiryat Gat between Israeli military officials and their foreign counterparts formed “a platform for direct and informal discussions on ways to deal with the maritime initiative.”
In contrast, foreign military officials explained that they “do not have the authority to prevent their citizens from participating in the fleet, as it is a civilian initiative, although some countries have expressed their willingness to provide support in this context.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry on 1 May announced in a statement that the military was releasing 175 abducted Gaza flotilla participants on the Greek island of Crete in cooperation with Greek authorities.
However, Israel refused to release two activists, Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish citizen of Palestinian origin, and Thiago Avila, a Brazilian with a long history of pro-Palestinian activism. Both are being transferred to Israel as “suspects.”
“Saif Abu Keshek, [is] suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization, and Thiago Avila, [is] suspected of illegal activity, will be brought to Israel for questioning,” the ministry claimed in a post on X.
The flotilla organizers are calling for pressure on Israel to release the two remaining abductees.
Keshek has been active for the best part of his life in the struggle against the occupation of Palestine. He served as a coordinator for the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Nablus in the occupied West Bank during the Second Intifada in the early 2000s.
ISM is a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles.
During the last attempt by the Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza in October 2025, Israel abducted some 450 activists before releasing them. The Israeli police and prison officials sexually assaulted and raped one of the activists, German journalist Anna Liedtke.
In response to the abduction of activists Keshek and Avila, Greek economist and activist Yanis Varoufakis stated that the “Greek government is cooperating fully in Israel's criminal behavior, effectively surrendering its search and rescue obligations and conniving with Israel to victimize the brave crews of the Sumud Flotilla.”
Varoufakis called on the Greek government and the EU to “cease and desist from lending logistical and moral support to Israel's genocide in Gaza and its ethnic cleansing campaigns in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.”
US military bases located in the
Persian Gulf are now viewed as 'sitting ducks' to Iran's 'fast and precise'
attacks
Iranian missile and drone strikes
heavily damaged the majority of US bases in the Persian Gulf region since the
US-Israeli war against the country began two months ago, according to an
investigation by CNN published on 2 May.
Among the 16 US bases hit were sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq, leaving many of them unusable.
"I have never seen anything like this at US bases," a person familiar with the damage told CNN. "These were fast and precise strikes, using advanced technology."
Iranian strikes destroyed advanced US aircraft, including an E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft, known as "the eyes of the United States in the Gulf," stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
Iran also destroyed critical communications equipment at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and radar systems at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
"Our radar systems are our most expensive and most limited asset in the region," the source said.
Iranian strikes also successfully targeted the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar in two separate attacks.
Al-Udeid is the largest US military base in West Asia, typically housing 10,000 US troops. It hosts a forward headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM), which directs US military operations across a region stretching from Egypt to Kazakhstan.
Other strikes damaged the Naval Support Activity Bahrain base, home to the US Fifth Fleet.
Camp Buehring in Kuwait, which serves as a staging ground for US troops entering Iraq, was also damaged in Iranian strikes.
Iran was able to strike US bases successfully thanks to detailed images produced by its TEE-014 satellite, purchased from China in 2024, CNN reported.
The satellite was a major upgrade, giving Iranian military commanders the ability to view US bases in the region with precision nearly identical to that enjoyed by the US military.
Gulf officials told CNN that US bases, which once instilled fear in enemies, are now viewed as "sitting targets."
"No matter how many Patriot missile systems the US deploys, US troops stationed so close to the front will be vulnerable to ballistic missiles and drones," stated Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a pro-Israel think tank.
A Saudi official told CNN that the war showed the Gulf monarchy that its alliance with the US was not "flawless" and that the kingdom could not rely solely on Washington to guarantee its security.
According to Stars and Stripes, "Within hours of the first US attacks, military personnel and residents were running for cover as Iranian drones and missiles pummeled the base, sending clouds of fire and black smoke into the sky."
"There's a question of, what does the US want after this? Do they still think that their military resources are best placed so close to Iran and inside the Gulf? On the western side of the Strait of Hormuz?" Todman stated.
In response to the CNN report, a Pentagon official stated, "We do not discuss battle damage assessments from the war for security reasons. Our forces remained fully operational, and we continue to carry out our mission with the same level of readiness and effectiveness."
The US and Iran have not traded fire since a ceasefire took effect three weeks ago. Negotiations for a permanent end to the war have been at a stalemate over the White House's refusal to lift a blockade on Iranian ports.
On Thursday, Tehran reportedly submitted a new proposal to end the war. However, Trump told reporters on Friday he was not satisfied with the proposal.
"We have just had a conversation with Iran. We will see what happens. But I am not happy," the president stated.
On Saturday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that the Islamic Republic is prepared to engage in diplomacy if Washington abandons its excessive demands and stops using threatening language.
The OFAC directive targets
vessels that have coordinated safe transit through the Iranian-controlled route
The advisory states that any payments — whether cash, digital assets, or donations — could trigger sanctions, even when made by ships seeking to ensure their own security during transit.
OFAC emphasized that “these risks exist regardless of the payment method,” warning both US and non-US entities from participating in Iran’s new transit fee system.
Since the US and Israel launched an illegal war of aggression against Iran, Tehran has restricted access to the strategic waterway while offering limited safe passage to non-hostile states along routes closer to its coastline, setting up what has been described as a “toll booth.”
Washington has responded with a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports since 13 April, aiming to cut oil exports and pressure Tehran economically.
This so-called “double blockade” has caused shipping traffic through the strait to collapse, pushed energy and fertilizer prices sharply higher, and left countries facing mounting economic losses as soaring fuel costs ripple through global markets.
US officials say dozens of commercial vessels have already been forced to turn back, others attacked and seized, as traffic through the strait drops sharply below normal levels.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the ongoing US naval blockade and siege on Iranian ports as “intolerable,” while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remains open to diplomacy if Washington changes its “expansionist approach” and “threatening rhetoric.”
Meanwhile, a senior Iranian commander warned that “a renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely,” adding that “evidence has shown that the United States is not committed to any promises or agreements.”
Talks remain stalled as back-and-forth demands are exchanged, as the US navy engages in piracy by seizing vessels like the Iranian-flagged Touska.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump boastfully claimed the US is acting "like pirates" by taking over ships and cargo as part of a "very profitable business" to cripple Tehran’s economy.
Israeli forces released 175
activists after abducting them off the coast of Greece, but have refused to
release two others, transporting them to Israel
Israeli officials took advantage of meetings held inside the US-led Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC) with officers from the militaries of various countries to raise the issue of the flotilla and push to block its arrival in Gaza by sea.
In the early hours of 30 April, Israeli Army Radio announced that Israeli forces had seized the ships of the Freedom Flotilla near Greece and abducted the activists on board.
The CMCC in Kiryat Gat was established in October 2025 under the auspices of US President Donald Trump's “Board of Peace,” allegedly to oversee the entry of humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Gaza after a ceasefire was reached with Hamas.
Officers from the US, Egypt, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Germany, France, and Spain were dispatched to staff the CMCC. However, the Spanish officers were expelled in April 2026 following Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez's, criticism of Israel's killing of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon.
The meetings in Kiryat Gat between Israeli military officials and their foreign counterparts formed “a platform for direct and informal discussions on ways to deal with the maritime initiative.”
In contrast, foreign military officials explained that they “do not have the authority to prevent their citizens from participating in the fleet, as it is a civilian initiative, although some countries have expressed their willingness to provide support in this context.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry on 1 May announced in a statement that the military was releasing 175 abducted Gaza flotilla participants on the Greek island of Crete in cooperation with Greek authorities.
However, Israel refused to release two activists, Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish citizen of Palestinian origin, and Thiago Avila, a Brazilian with a long history of pro-Palestinian activism. Both are being transferred to Israel as “suspects.”
“Saif Abu Keshek, [is] suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization, and Thiago Avila, [is] suspected of illegal activity, will be brought to Israel for questioning,” the ministry claimed in a post on X.
The flotilla organizers are calling for pressure on Israel to release the two remaining abductees.
Keshek has been active for the best part of his life in the struggle against the occupation of Palestine. He served as a coordinator for the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Nablus in the occupied West Bank during the Second Intifada in the early 2000s.
ISM is a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles.
During the last attempt by the Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza in October 2025, Israel abducted some 450 activists before releasing them. The Israeli police and prison officials sexually assaulted and raped one of the activists, German journalist Anna Liedtke.
In response to the abduction of activists Keshek and Avila, Greek economist and activist Yanis Varoufakis stated that the “Greek government is cooperating fully in Israel's criminal behavior, effectively surrendering its search and rescue obligations and conniving with Israel to victimize the brave crews of the Sumud Flotilla.”
Varoufakis called on the Greek government and the EU to “cease and desist from lending logistical and moral support to Israel's genocide in Gaza and its ethnic cleansing campaigns in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.”
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