Iran recently launched a missile attack on the Sultan Abdulaziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia, damaging five U.S. "Stratotanker" aerial refueling aircraft (KC-135) on the tarmac. Two U.S. officials confirmed that the incident did not result in any casualties, but the refueling aircraft were indeed damaged and repairs have already begun. Following this event, the surviving U.S. aerial refueling aircraft have been urgently evacuated to European bases.

The U.S. refueling aircraft stationed in Saudi Arabia were severely damaged by Iranian missiles

According to reports from multiple media outlets including "India Today" and The Wall Street Journal, the Sultan Abdulaziz Air Base is located about 60 kilometers east of Riyadh and is an important forward base for the U.S. military in the Middle East. This base has long deployed "Lightning" fighter jets, "Patriot" air defense systems, and a fleet of aerial refueling aircraft, responsible for supporting air operations and patrols in the Persian Gulf region. Since 2025, this base has repeatedly been considered a potential target for attacks by Iran and its proxy forces. Notably, on February 28, before the U.S. strike on Iran, an aviation tracking website had recorded multiple aerial refueling aircraft flying across the Atlantic from the U.S. mainland directly to the Middle East, disappearing over Saudi airspace.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the aerial refueling aircraft stationed at the Saudi base belong to the U.S. Air Force's 379th Expeditionary Refueling Squadron, which is a key logistical asset supporting attacks on Iran by aircraft such as the "Strike Eagle" (F-15E). It is reported that the ballistic missiles launched by Iran directly targeted the Sultan Abdulaziz base, and although the Saudi and U.S. anti-missile systems attempted to intercept, some missiles managed to break through the defense and directly hit five "Stratotanker" refueling aircraft on the tarmac. According to U.S. officials, this Iranian missile attack did not affect the structural integrity of the aircraft or cause explosions or fires, but only caused damage to the fuselage and secondary equipment of the aerial refueling aircraft. Nevertheless, even so, this means that these refueling aircraft can no longer normally take off to support combat aircraft.

For aerial operations, refueling aircraft are a critical logistical asset

However, it is interesting that after this incident, neither the U.S. nor Saudi authorities immediately made any public statements, and it wasn't until March 13 that The Wall Street Journal revealed the information. It is estimated that the U.S. side wanted to reduce public attention on U.S. military losses in the Middle East, as this conflict, initiated by Trump, faces significant pressure domestically in the United States.

It must be said that the Americans have a very bold heart; they dare to leave such expensive aerial assets in Saudi Arabia. In peacetime, this is understandable, but now the U.S. is at war with Iran, and Iran's missiles can cover the entire Saudi territory. Moreover, in the past two weeks, the Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia have been attacked one after another, which clearly shows this point. One can only say that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are too confident in their air defense systems.

Notably, during this conflict, the U.S. aerial refueling aircraft squadrons are facing strong pressure. In addition to the five refueling aircraft being damaged, one "Stratotanker" refueling aircraft also crashed in the skies over Iraq, directly resulting in the death of six U.S. pilots. Given the operational value of aerial refueling aircraft, there is no doubt that the U.S. military suffered significant losses in this war.

To avoid further incidents involving these expensive aerial assets, according to "India Today," the U.S. aerial refueling aircraft that were not damaged have been gradually leaving the Sultan Abdulaziz base, heading to Europe to avoid attacks by Iran.

The U.S. military's aerial combat capabilities against Iran may be somewhat weakened

From a military perspective, aerial refueling aircraft are considered the "lifeline" for the U.S. military's long-range operations and directly affect the U.S. military's ability to conduct sustained operations against Iran. Now that the aerial refueling aircraft deployed in the Middle East are either damaged or have moved to Europe to avoid losses, the reduction in numbers will directly impact the operational range and duration of U.S. aircraft. In other words, the U.S. military's ability to conduct airstrikes against Iran may experience a certain degree of weakening in the coming period.



Original article: toutiao.com/article/7617382615980540451/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.