An Iranian strike on a U.S. air base in Saudi Arabia reportedly destroyed an E-3G Sentry airborne early warning and control aircraft.
Images of the wreckage are being circulated by American OSINT analysts.
“The strike appears to have been deliberately aimed at the most critical section of the E-3—namely the rear portion, where the rotating radar dome is mounted and which houses several sensitive components, including antennas for the AN/APY-2 surveillance radar system,” one military blogger noted.
American media had earlier reported that the base came under attack by ballistic missiles, wounding 12 U.S. service members, two of whom are in critical condition, according to sources cited by The New York Times.
The base in question is Prince Sultan, which was reportedly struck by both missiles and drones at the same time. The attack also damaged at least two KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft. Sources describe the incident as one of the most serious breaches of the American air defense system during the current conflict.
Since the start of the war, nearly 300 American service members have reportedly been injured, around 225 of them suffering traumatic brain injuries. Most have already returned to duty. The deaths of 13 U.S. service members have been officially confirmed.