Pentagon watchdog details war's toll on US forces
The Pentagon's inspector general released a special report on Monday covering the early months of the war with Iran, acknowledging that Iranian strikes caused extensive damage to US military bases and depleted key munition stockpiles.
The report, which covers the period from February 28 to June 30, said Iranian strikes “damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan,” as reported by multiple outlets including CNN, Dawn, France 24, and The Hindu.
According to the watchdog, the damage included the US Navy's principal logistics hub in Bahrain, where the impact created “significant challenges” for regional operations. The report also noted that the conflict displaced more than 20,000 US military and diplomatic personnel, a figure reported by a single source.
Munitions shortfalls and logistical shifts
The report acknowledged the depletion of key US munition stockpiles, with one specific detail noting that the US nearly exhausted 80% of its stock of THAAD interceptors, as reported by France 24 and other outlets.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) was forced to “shift personnel, assets and storage facilities” as they came under attack from Iran and its proxy forces, according to the report. This included the withdrawal of Army medical evacuation helicopters from Iraq and Kuwait, meaning “most medical evacuations have been carried out by ground … to local treatment facilities.”
The report also highlighted bottlenecks for munitions resupply in relation to advanced weapons, a concern that comes as Ukraine urgently needs more interceptor missiles for US-made Patriot air defense systems in its war against Russia, as reported by a single source.
Cost estimates and exclusions
The war with Iran caused approximately $184 million in damage to US facilities, a figure reported by multiple sources. However, the report's cost estimates do not include the cost of establishing adequate naval bases and support ports in the region, nor do they include the damage to hundreds of buildings and structures, because it is not yet clear if all the bases will be rebuilt or who will foot the bill.
More than 600 attacks were carried out against US facilities in Iraq alone, according to a senior State Department official in May, and those attacks caused the most costly damage—roughly $157 million.
Unresolved investigation
The US military has yet to release an internal investigation into the bombing of a US facility during the war with Iran, a claim reported by a single source. NBC News reported in June that the report on the probe into the bombing was being finalized, according to that same source.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report, as reported by a single outlet.