Iran strikes may have caused greater damage to US bases than disclosed: NBC report

Recent Iranian strikes across the Middle East may have inflicted far more damage on US military infrastructure than has been publicly acknowledged, according to a report by NBC News citing multiple sources.

The report suggests that US-linked bases and equipment in the Persian Gulf have sustained significant damage since the start of US and Israeli operations on 28 February. Repair costs are expected to run into billions of dollars.

Quoting several US officials, congressional aides and individuals briefed on the matter, the report said Iranian strikes have hit facilities in at least seven countries in the region. Damaged sites reportedly include warehouses, command centres, aircraft hangars, runways, radar systems, satellite communication infrastructure and even military aircraft.

In addition to direct strikes, the attacks appear to have targeted key components of the US missile defence network, particularly high-value radar installations.

Despite the deployment of advanced US air defence systems, officials were reportedly surprised that a number of Iranian হামলা were able to penetrate these defences. The report also noted that even older aircraft such as Iran's F-5 fighter jets were used in some attacks, raising concerns about possible vulnerabilities.

The United States Department of Defense has not released detailed information on the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, United States Central Command, which oversees operations in the region, declined to comment.

The lack of transparency has frustrated some lawmakers. One congressional aide told NBC that despite repeated requests, officials have not provided clear details, even as the Pentagon seeks a record-high defence budget.

Repairing the damaged infrastructure is expected to be costly, potentially fuelling debate in Washington over the risks of maintaining US bases near regional adversaries.

The broader financial burden of the conflict is also increasing. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, spending on munitions alone exceeded $12 billion within the first six days of fighting. Pentagon estimates put the figure slightly lower at $11.3 billion for the same period—roughly $2 billion per day.

Individual weapons costs are also mounting rapidly. To sustain operations and replenish stockpiles, the Pentagon reportedly sought more than $200 billion in additional funding from Congress in March.

Earlier, The Washington Post reported that the funds would be used to boost production of critical weapons systems following their extensive use in strikes targeting Iran.