5 US Tanker Aircraft Damaged in Iranian Strike on Saudi Base

Iran’s missile strike on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base damaged five US Air Force tanker aircraft, according to US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal. The aircraft were reportedly on the ground during the attacks and sustained significant damage, though none were completely destroyed. This brings the total to at least 7 U.S. refueling planes lost or damaged recently.

US officials confirmed that no casualties occurred in the missile strikes. Repair operations are ongoing to restore the damaged aircraft.

The latest figures indicate that seven US tanker aircraft have now been either damaged or destroyed as part of recent Iranian attacks on regional air bases.

In a separate incident, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that one KC-135 tanker crashed in western Iraq during an Iran-focused operation, resulting in the deaths of six crew members.

Since February 28, Israel and US forces have launched military operations against Iran while diplomatic negotiations between Tehran and Washington continued.

Iran has retaliated by targeting bases and installations in the region, including US facilities in Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, as well as Israeli positions.

US-Israel operations reportedly killed top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s senior aides.

Iranian authorities claim that 1,348 people have been killed and over 17,000 injured in US-Israel strikes.

The attacks on Saudi and regional bases, including the damage to US tanker aircraft, underscore the intensifying military confrontation between Iran and the US-Israel coalition, raising concerns over further escalation in the Middle East.