Access to real-time satellite imagery is being restricted. By piecing together information from some unlikely sources, we're able to overcome these limits and see what's really going on. We go in depth to track strikes on key bases across the Gulf and show how satellite imagery helps uncover the full picture in this episode of Photo Evidence. This is Prince Sultan Air Base, one of the main air bases in the Middle East from which America is fighting its war with Iran. This base isn't home to combat aircraft. This is where the US keeps its logistics and support planes. One of the most important is the E-3 AWACS, which stands for airborne early warning and control. You can see a bunch of them parked in the top right-hand

corner of this image. And here's what they look like close up. The body is a Boeing 707 aircraft, but with significant modifications for life in the military. The most obvious is this huge disc mounted above the fuselage. This is the rotodome, essentially a giant rotating radar dish. It's 6 ft thick, 30 ft across, and when in use, rotates once every 10 seconds. What this does is act as the eyes in the skies for any nearby aircraft. It identifies and tracks friendlies, letting pilots know where their wingmen are to avoid them shooting at one another by mistake. But it also tracks the enemy in the air, on land, or at sea, letting friendly pilots know

what they need to shoot at, where it is, and where it's going. When flying at 30,000 ft, that radar has a range of 120,000 sq mi, which is about the size of Poland or the state of New Mexico. In other words, it is an extremely valuable piece of kit. The US Air Force currently only has 16 of them anywhere in the world, six of which are based in Saudi Arabia. The last E-3 was produced in the '90s, so technically, it is priceless. But replacing one with a newer version, the E-7, costs in the realm of $700 million. And the US Air Force is going to have to replace one because on March the 27th, Iran managed to destroy an E-3 during an attack on this air base. Here you can see the aircraft before the strike. The black rotodome with a

distinctive white stripe is visible at the back of the wings here. And here's the same aircraft after the strike. The rotodome is completely gone, and there's a large black scorch mark on the tarmac. The rear part of the fuselage appears to be missing as well, and there's a large amount of debris scattered on the runway. The tail, while still intact, does not appear to be attached to the rest of the aircraft. The angle of the fins in the second image suggests it has tilted backwards. And there's a large number of vehicles parked nearby, probably driven by Air Force personnel responding to the attack. These satellite images were published by the

Iranian state. Obviously, they need to be treated with skepticism, but we've been able to verify this strike with third-party images taken from the ground. These images broadly confirm what we saw on the satellites, but add a few interesting details. The rear portion of the aircraft has been destroyed, and there is a large debris field on the surrounding runway. The tail section has detached from the main aircraft body and has tilted backwards. However, it appears the rotodome survived and is lying among the debris down here. A second image taken from the reverse angle seems to confirm this.

Here you can see the sunlight reflecting off the surface. From overhead, this detail was not visible. The black dish was disguised against the black scorch marks on the ground. It is only from the side that this detail is revealed. Another interesting detail that is visible from the ground, but not from the air, is the tail number of this aircraft, visible here as 0005. Cross-referencing this with flight tracking data, we can reveal the full tail number was 810005. This matches an E-3 aircraft that was operating as part of the 552nd Air Control Wing and based out of Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Flight

tracking data traces it to Ramstein Air Base in Germany on February the 19th, a major logistics hub for US aircraft traveling to the Middle East. From Ramstein, this plane then flew to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The Iranians also claimed that a Shahed one-way attack drone caused this damage. It isn't possible from these images alone to say whether or not that's correct. However, some of the circumstantial evidence that we've seen corroborates that. First, there is clear evidence of an explosion. Aside from the missing section of the aircraft, there's a large debris field around the wreck.

Pieces of the aircraft body have been thrown up and onto the wings and have traveled dozens of feet away, which would require a large amount of force. Second, the damage is concentrated in a specific area. The body of the aircraft and the wings, where most of the fuel is stored, are largely intact. So is the tail. If the aircraft had been damaged by a fire, for example, we might expect the damage to be far more wide-ranging. There is a scorch mark on the runway, which does suggest burning fuel, but this could have been from whatever hit the plane rather than the plane itself. If the damage had been

caused by a fire alone, we would also expect the debris to have fallen in on itself rather than been thrown outwards. Third, while the damage is obviously severe, the aircraft hasn't been obliterated as it might have been if it was hit by a missile. Iran's missiles have warheads that weigh anywhere from the low hundreds of kilograms up to 1,000 kg or more. Its drones, meanwhile, have a warhead that weighs just a few dozen kilograms. If a missile has been used, we'd expect to see much more wide-ranging damage to the aircraft and perhaps some cratering in the ground. Instead, what we see is concentrated damage and a flat runway, judging by where the debris is sitting. Taken together, then, we can see Iran's

explanation of using a Shahed drone is plausible. But the E-3 wasn't the only target hit at Sultan Air Base on February the 27th. Additional satellite images reveal other aircraft shared the fate of the E-3 AWACS. Here's another image put out by the Iranian state, showing what appears to be the main apron at Prince Sultan Air Base with US aircraft parked on it. This is consistent with the image put out by Planet Labs before the war started. We can see 13 large aircraft and three smaller planes parked out in the open. The smaller aircraft are very likely Hercules C-130 transport planes, which you can tell by the straight wing design with two engines visible under each. The larger aircraft appear to be KC-135 Stratotankers.

The swept-back wing design, dark paint, and relatively thin fuselage give it away. And here's the same apron after the March 27th strike. You can see a large area of damage where at least two of the KC-135s were previously parked. Along with either a plume of smoke or, more likely, a cloud covering the position of the third. Four more aircraft, which also appear to be KC-135s, are visible parked nearby. Iran claims it destroyed the three Stratotankers we saw parked in the first image and damaged the other four. Taking these images at face value for a moment, we can certainly see that some damage has been caused to the aircraft apron.

There's a large black mark which seems to flow off to one side of the image. This suggests carbon left behind after a fire, perhaps of burning fuel which flowed across the concrete slab. There's also inconsistencies in the color of this scorch area. It's impossible to tell what this is, but it appears similar to the debris from the destroyed E-3 aircraft. We cannot see any of the three aircraft that were previously parked here, but that doesn't mean to say they were destroyed. One could simply be covered by this area of smoke or cloud. And if we look at the other aircraft, they're in different positions to the previous image. This suggests these two satellites

were taken some time apart, enough time for all the aircraft to have swapped places. While it's certainly possible the two KC-135s we saw previously were still parked here when the fire happened, that's not certain. And while Iran claims these four other aircraft were all damaged in the strike, that's not at all obvious from the satellite imagery, either. But if we're being extremely skeptical, we might suggest Iran faked this whole thing using AI. What evidence do we have that any of this actually happened? Unlike the last strike, we don't have any images from the ground to corroborate what we're being shown. However, we do have additional satellite pictures.

These were taken by the Sentinel satellites, which are operated by the EU and intended for environmental monitoring. The pictures they take are open source, meaning anyone can access them, and while the resolution isn't great, they do provide some help. In images of Prince Sultan Air Base taken on March the 29th, you can clearly see a scorch mark on the ground that tallies with the Iranian images. The same white tents or warehouses are visible behind rows of parked aircraft, and the scorch damage occurs in the second row of planes.

You can see an obvious main area of damage and then a fainter area running off towards the edge of the apron. So, putting all that together, what can we say about this? Well, it seems something was destroyed in this part of the base, causing a large fire. What sparked the fire is impossible to say from the images alone, but given that we know Iran attacked the base around this time, a drone or missile strike is possible. We know this area of the base was used to park KC-135 refueling tankers. And given the pattern of the scorch mark, burning fuel could well have been involved. It therefore seems fair to conclude that at least one Stratotanker was hit by an Iranian attack, was destroyed, and spilled burning fuel onto the aircraft

apron. Whether or not other tankers were parked beside it at the time is impossible to say. There does not seem to be any damage below the scorch mark, where one other tanker was parked. So, Iran's claim to have destroyed three aircraft is unlikely to be true. But a second aircraft could have well been parked here. Given the burn mark on the ground here is lighter, it seems unlikely another aircraft was destroyed here, but it may have been damaged. It is also impossible to say whether the other four aircraft visible in the Iranian image were also damaged, as the Iranian state claimed. Circumstantially, you could say that the US Air Force would have moved these planes away from the burning tanker if

they were able. The fact that they're still here suggests they cannot move and are therefore damaged, but that is pure speculation. If we remain with the Sentinel satellite imagery for a moment, we can also see evidence of a third strike, which Iranian media did not claim. This hangar, just to the south of the scorched aircraft apron, shows signs of damage to the roof. There are three dark marks, two on the left-hand side of the image, and a third on the right. If we look at this earlier satellite image, also taken by Copernicus, then we can see only the right-hand mark is visible. And if we look at this high-resolution satellite image taken from before the war began, we can see there are no marks

visible as all. What does that tell us? Well, it appears from the high-resolution image that this is an aircraft hangar, probably used for storing and repairing C-130 aircraft. You can see one of those parked here, with its signature straight wing and four engines. At some point after the Iran war began, this hangar was damaged, creating the first mark. What exactly caused this damage is unclear. It could well have been an accident, but it is equally possible it was caused by an Iranian attack. As with the E-3 AWACS plane, the limited nature of the damage seems to suggest that, if it was an attack, a drone is the more likely culprit. If it had been a missile, then we'd expect the whole

structure to be flattened. Then, on March the 27th, the same hangar was damaged twice more. Again, the cause is unclear from the images alone, but given the circumstances, it seems likely an Iranian attack was to blame. And again, given the size of the damage, it seems more likely than not that drones were responsible. As for whether or not the hangar was occupied at the time it was struck, that's impossible to say from these images. Given it may have been hit once before this attack, you'd like to think that would have been taken out of action in case it was hit again. But nothing we can see in this image provides an answer. Combining all that information,

it reveals several things about the way this war is being fought. First, this wasn't just an attack on aircraft, it was an attack on the command and control layer of the US war effort. Rather than going after US fighter or bomber aircraft, Iran is prioritizing strikes on the aircraft which coordinate the fighters and bombers and keep them in the air. Taking these radar and refueler planes out makes all of America's other aircraft less effective, without having to do any physical damage to them. That follows a pattern we've seen elsewhere. Third radars were hit in Jordan, early warning systems were struck in Qatar, and radar domes were destroyed in Bahrain. Now, airborne radar has been hit. Second, Iran's drones

continue to be its most destructive weapon. All those radar sites we just mentioned were thought to have been hit by Shahed drones. And now, we suspect at least two aircraft and an aircraft hangar, possibly with more planes inside, were also struck. We can't be sure drones were used in these attacks, but the damage pattern appears consistent. Third, America is not being entirely honest with the damage being caused by this war. It has stopped US-based satellite companies from publishing imagery which shows damage such as this, which is why we have turned to other sources. And it is refusing to comment on the damage that those other sources and photographers on the ground are revealing. American officials have given off-the-record

briefings confirming that Prince Sultan Air Base was hit on March the 27th and said that the attacks wounded 13 soldiers. But, so far as we can tell, they have said nothing about the destruction of the aircraft. Prince Sultan Air Base is far from the only air base in the region the Iranians claim to have struck. This is Muwaffaq Air Base in Jordan, a major hub for American fighter planes that are now carrying out strikes in Iran. Dozens of F-16s and F-15s were seen on the ground here before the war broke out. But the strike we're about to see didn't hit the Americans. This is the German garrison inside the air base. It hosts around 100 German personnel, alongside Tornado jets and aerial refueling tankers. The German armed forces say

this camp supports anti-ISIL missions, humanitarian airdrops, and broader regional operations. It has long been linked to planning scenarios involving Iran. Images released by Iran show damage to a row of white-roofed buildings on the southern side of the base. Part of one of the buildings seems to have collapsed. There also appears to be debris scattered on the ground. As with the previous images, the damage appears concentrated in one area and to have left most of the surrounding buildings intact. If we believe the Iranians did actually carry out this attack, then once again, a drone could have been responsible. Alternative explanations include debris from an intercepted Iranian missile, which fell

on the base, debris from an interceptor missile, or a misfired interceptor. Once again, we can confirm the attack if we turn to Sentinel satellite imagery. Here's the same section of the air base. The resolution is poor, but the white-roofed buildings and the distinctive shape can clearly be seen here. Before and after images reveal part of one of the buildings appears to vanish around the same date the Iranians claim to have carried out the attack. It therefore seems likely that this strike did take place and caused damage consistent with the Iranian imagery.

What exactly did the Iranians destroy? We can't tell from the satellite images alone, but this video taken 2 years ago by the German armed forces provides the answer. In the background of this shot, you can see the unmistakable shape of these buildings. This recruit is explaining that each of the large blocks is accommodation for German soldiers staying at the base. The smaller buildings in between the larger blocks contain the showers and bathrooms. So, what we presume to be an Iranian strike on this base hit German troop accommodation and partially collapsed one of the buildings. That was confirmed to German media by a military spokesperson, who said the base was hit, but all troops were in shelter at the

time and nobody was injured. The German defense minister later said that German troops at the base were not the intended target of this strike. How exactly that was determined isn't clear, but it adds credence to the theory that falling debris was responsible rather than a drone. So, what does that all tell us? Well, first it highlights what we were saying about America's lack of candor around damage to its bases during this war. Even though German troops weren't the target of this strike, the military and defense minister were up front about the fact it took place, which contrasts with what the US has been saying, or rather refusing to say, about damage to its own bases. Second, it shows how

America's allies are being caught in the crossfire of a war they didn't start, but are suffering the effects of it nonetheless. Another European installation struck during the conflict was Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, where Iranian missiles and drones caused significant damage to Italian assets. On March the 15th, an Iranian drone strike at the air base in Kuwait destroyed a parked Italian MQ-9 Reaper, a loss confirmed by Italy's chief of the defense general staff. Two Eurofighter Typhoons were also reportedly damaged, temporarily grounding them. The MQ-9, worth roughly $30 million, represents a significant portion of Italy's RPAS fleet, its remotely piloted aircraft system, with only five

remaining in Italy's armed forces. The strike effectively reduces Italy's ISR and reconnaissance capabilities in the region. Pro-Iranian satellite imagery shows the destruction of a UAV hangar, presumably host to the MQ-9 Reaper, and what appears to be damage to the UAV's satellite antenna just to the right of the hangar. For both structures to be struck in a single attack seems too precise to be coincidental. The original release of the imagery by Iranian state-affiliated accounts labeled it "the destruction of a UAV shelter and a satellite antenna of the terrorist US military air base Ali Al Salem." However, open-source analysis provides further context. Official images from the Italian Air Force showcase the same structural

layout as the hangar in the background, with the UAV parked outside, matching the satellite images. During the 2026 conflict, the Italian contingent at Ali Al Salem was reduced from 300 to roughly 100 personnel. They remain entrenched in bunkers across the base, spending most of their time under cover to avoid further damage. Operations for the remaining personnel have effectively halted, turning the base into what some have called a Bastiani fortress. The strike's precision has raised questions about intent. If the satellite antenna was indeed struck, two errant UAVs or missiles hitting both the UAV hangar and the antenna seem unlikely to be coincidental. Could Iranian forces have misidentified the

facility as American? Possibly. Yet, even with basic open-source geolocation, this section clearly belongs to the Italians, a detail you'd expect Iranian intelligence to know. This leaves a couple of possible explanations. Either it was a deliberate targeting of Italian assets, or it was an Iranian intelligence failure. The attack also underscores vulnerabilities at Ali Al Salem. The lack of hardened shelters, passive defenses, and anti-drone measures, leaving high-value aircraft and drones exposed. One thing that all these strikes have in common is that they were claimed by Iran using satellite imagery,

which we then cross-referenced with other sources. But that is significant in and of itself. Until now, we didn't know that Iran had access to satellite imagery. Whether these satellites are domestically owned or being borrowed from an ally is unclear. Iran does actually have some of its own military satellites. In December 2025, Iran launched three of these into space, Paya, Zafar 2, and Khayyam 1, aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket, in cooperation with Russia's space agency Roscosmos. Earlier, in February 2024, Iran also launched the Pars 1 satellite, which is equipped with multiple imaging cameras. And Tehran has said that additional satellites, including Pars 2, are already in development. These satellites

are officially described as earth observation platforms, intended for monitoring agriculture, mapping natural resources, and environmental tracking. But, as we've seen with the Sentinel satellites, that can easily be repurposed for military ends, and it would be foolish to assume Iran isn't doing that. However, as we've also seen from Sentinel, taking images of earth from space doesn't guarantee you'll be able to see things in great detail. Iran may have cameras in space that can be used by its military, but do we believe they're capable of producing images this sharp? Or, do we believe that these images are being provided by someone else? Perhaps an ally, like Russia or China. America has accused Russia of

sharing targeting information with the Iranians during this war, including the locations of aircraft in the Middle East. We don't know in what form that information is shared. It could be images of the aircraft on the ground like the ones we've seen, or it could simply be a list of coordinates to strike based of images that the Russians aren't sharing. Another possibility is China. We strongly suspect that Chinese companies can produce high-resolution satellite images of US bases in the Middle East. This imagery purportedly be a vision of firm based in Shanghai and shows US forces building up in the Middle East before the war broke out. While some analysts have raised issues with these images suggesting they

have been AI enhanced, they do appear consistent with pictures produced by Western firms. If genuine, it could be that Iran has been granted access to this kind of imagery to use for its own purposes, including air strikes. Whatever the case, it appears someone has given to Iran access to satellites which it can use to both direct its air strikes and assess the damage they caused. It was clearly not guessing where US aircraft would be parked, and we know images of the damage were not created by AI because they match with independent sources. And that is a significant development not just for this war, but for future wars that Iran may fight.