What happened
Newly released images show damage to U.S. military bases in the Middle East, raising concerns about the effectiveness of American air-defense capabilities. The images, obtained from active-duty service members, depict damage at bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and other locations.
According to Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the images highlight several vulnerabilities in the U.S. military's defense strategy. These include the proximity of American bases to Iran, the volume of Iranian attacks, and the limited supply of defensive munitions.
Schanzer notes that bases in Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait are within range of Iranian missiles and rockets, giving American forces only minutes to respond to incoming attacks. He suggests that the Pentagon may need to consider relocating some bases to reduce their vulnerability to Iranian attacks.
However, Schanzer also emphasizes that moving bases would not eliminate the threat entirely, as Iranian forces have demonstrated their ability to launch attacks from farther away. The U.S. military has struggled to defend against the sheer volume of missiles, rockets, and drones being fired at American and allied positions.
The conflict has also exposed the challenge of using expensive weapons against lower-cost Iranian targets. Schanzer argues that the U.S. needs to develop more cost-effective ways to defend against drones and rockets, such as directed-energy technology, including lasers.
