Chinese scientists have used detailed satellite imagery analysis to examine damage to US military bases in the Middle East, uncovering discrepancies in both Washington and Tehran’s claims over the scale of the conflict.
Using advanced remote sensing and image-processing techniques, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) also identified damage patterns that exposed vulnerabilities in fixed overseas military installations and highlighted operational shortcomings on either side.
“The observed scale of destruction indicates physical impacts that exceed the characterisations of ‘minimal damage’ or ‘successful defence’ commonly presented in US briefings,” the scientists wrote in a letter published in the peer-reviewed journal The Innovation on July 7.
“Concurrently, it also suggests that Iranian claims of ‘massive strikes’ may be overstated.”
The launch of American and Israeli air strikes against Iran on February 28 triggered an armed conflict that has escalated throughout the region, leading to economic disruption and global instability.
On April 4, the US enacted “shutter control” measures on several commercial satellite providers, including California-based Planet Labs, suspending the distribution of high-resolution space imagery over conflict zones.