Ammunition shortage and tens of millions in damage: Pentagon report reveals the cost of the war in Iran
A Pentagon inspector general report reveals that the war in Iran left the U.S. military with a shortage of advanced ammunition, while Iranian attacks damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings at American bases across the Middle East. Damage to diplomatic facilities is estimated at $184 million.
The Pentagon inspector general's report, the first of its kind published on the consequences of the war in Iran, reveals a comprehensive picture of the damage inflicted on the U.S. military in the early months of the conflict. According to the report, based on information from U.S. Central Command, Iranian attacks damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at American bases in eight countries: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan. The severe damage to the regional logistics center of the U.S. Navy in Bahrain created "significant challenges" in establishing naval bases and led to the conversion of Diego Garcia island in the Indian Ocean into a naval logistics hub, extending supply cycles to 14-18 days. Damage to U.S. diplomatic facilities in the Middle East is estimated at approximately $184 million. In Iraq alone, more than 600 attacks were recorded against American facilities, causing an estimated $157 million in damage. Among other incidents, in early March, two Iranian drones struck the U.S. embassy compound in Riyadh, causing extensive damage, including to the CIA station there. Following the attacks, between February 23 and June 30, up to 3,500 U.S. diplomatic staff were stationed outside the region, after most missions shifted to an evacuation posture.