US loses nearly $2B in military equipment during Iran strikes

2026-03-04 - 04:42

The United States military has sustained nearly $2 billion in equipment losses since launching operations against Iran on Saturday, according to data compiled by Anadolu. The most significant single loss was a $1.1 billion AN/FPS-132 early warning radar system at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base, which Qatar officially confirmed was hit and damaged by an Iranian missile strike. The radar system represents a critical component of regional missile defense architecture. Significant aircraft losses In a costly friendly fire incident Sunday, Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot down three F-15E Strike Eagles, with replacement costs estimated at $282 million. All six aircrew members survived the incident, but the aircraft were completely destroyed. The loss highlights the dangers of coordinated multinational air defense operations during periods of heightened alert and represents one of the most expensive friendly fire incidents in recent US military history. Multiple installations targeted Iranian retaliatory strikes have hit at least seven US military facilities across the Middle East since Saturday. The US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain suffered destruction of two AN/GSC-52B satellite communications terminals valued at approximately $20 million including deployment costs. At Al-Ruwais Industrial City in the United Arab Emirates, Iran claims to have destroyed an AN/TPY-2 radar component of the THAAD anti-ballistic missile system, with satellite imagery suggesting a confirmed hit on the $500 million system. US bases across Gulf struck The campaign of Iranian strikes has extended across multiple Gulf countries. In Kuwait, Ali Al Salem Air Base sustained structural damage with collapsed rooftops reported, while Camp Arifjan was the primary site where six US service members were killed. Video footage confirmed a drone attack inside Camp Buehring that detonated within the perimeter. The New York Times verified that Iran repeatedly targeted the military installation at Erbil International Airport in Iraq, where satellite imagery showed four structures damaged or destroyed with fires continuing into Monday. Diplomatic facilities also hit US diplomatic missions have not been spared in the Iranian retaliation. The US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was struck by two drones, with the Saudi Defense Ministry reporting "limited fire and minor material damage." The Washington Post reported that the CIA station within the compound was also hit. In Kuwait City, officials described drone and missile strikes on the US Embassy as a "brutal" Iranian attack, prompting the embassy to close "until further notice" with non-essential staff evacuated. The US Consulate General in Dubai sustained a drone strike to a parking lot adjacent to the chancellery, causing a fire quickly contained by local authorities. As regional tensions continue to escalate, the extensive damage to American military assets and diplomatic facilities represents a significant operational and financial blow to US forces in the Middle East.