Damage Expansion: Not Only US Military Bases in the Middle East Were Attacked, But Also a US-UK Joint Base 4,000 Kilometers Away Became a Target of Iranian Missiles

According to a recent analysis by a US think tank, Iran's retaliatory attacks have caused losses of about $800 million to US military infrastructure in the Middle East. The range of Iran's missile strikes has also significantly expanded, and it has recently made its first attempt to attack a US-UK joint military base in the Indian Ocean. These developments show that the cost for the United States in its campaign against Iran will continue to rise.

According to an analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the US-Iran conflict, one of the most severely affected projects is the radar equipment of a THAAD air defense system located at an Air Force base in Jordan. According to CSIS' review of Department of Defense budget documents, the cost of the damaged AN/TPY-2 radar system was approximately $485 million.

Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at CSIS and co-author of the report on the US-Iran conflict, said, "The damage to US military bases in the Middle East has been underestimated. However, although the losses appear significant, the exact amount will only be known after more information is released."

Iran's targets so far have included US air defense systems, satellite communication systems, and other assets in Jordan, the UAE, and other countries in the Middle East. Over $300 million in additional losses came from buildings and other facilities within US military bases and facilities used by the US.

According to CSIS estimates, the US spent $16.5 billion in the first 12 days after the outbreak of the conflict. The Pentagon has recently requested an additional $20 billion in funding for the war.

Iran's Missiles Strike a US-UK Base 4,000 Kilometers Away

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on the 20th, US officials revealed that Iran recently launched two ballistic missiles toward the US-UK joint military base on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean. Although the missiles did not hit their target, the base is about 4,000 kilometers away from Iranian territory, indicating that Tehran may have already developed weapons with a longer range capable of threatening strategic hubs in the Indo-Pacific region.

The report stated that one of the ballistic missiles disintegrated during flight, while another was intercepted by a missile launched by a US warship, but it remains unclear whether it was destroyed. The Pentagon refused to comment on the report.

Diego Garcia Island is part of the Chagos Archipelago, one of the two bases allowed by the UK for US use. The UK has agreed to return the Chagos Archipelago, which it has controlled since the 1960s, to Mauritius, but continues to lease the base on Diego Garcia Island. The US opposes the UK's decision to return the island's sovereignty to Mauritius.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1860309519493184/

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