Iran has caused billions of dollars in damage to U.S. military assets and bases across the Gulf region, with repair costs estimated at up to $5 billion according to people familiar with Pentagon assessments. The destruction spans multiple countries in the Middle East and includes runways, high-end radar systems, dozens of aircraft, warehouses, command headquarters, aircraft hangars and satellite communications infrastructure.
The damage began within days of the war's start on Feb. 28 with a series of U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran. An Iranian F-5 fighter jet struck Camp Buehring in Kuwait early in the conflict. Al Dhafra Air Base and Al Ruwais military base in the United Arab Emirates sustained damage to fuel storage, medical clinics, hangars, barracks and warehouses. Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia; Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan; and Camp Arifjan, Shuaiba Port also recorded damage.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican lawmakers and conservative defense analysts have emphasized the necessity of responding to Iranian aggression against U.S. assets, framing the damage as a consequence of protecting American interests in a volatile region.
Mackenzie Eaglen, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who has advised Republican defense policy, told NBC News that rebuilding military infrastructure overseas may require "repair, reconstruction, outright replacement, or even abandonment/decommissioning of locales."
"War damage also includes estimated costs for infrastructure that is unsalvageable," she said. Republicans have generally supported strong U.S. military responses in the Middle East and argued that maintaining regional deterrence justifies the investment.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers and progressive defense analysts have focused on transparency concerns and congressional oversight questions following reports of limited briefings from the Pentagon. Congressional aides told NBC News that officials have been asking for weeks without receiving specifics on costs, even as the Defense Department requests record-high budget authority.
"No one knows anything. And it's not for lack of asking," one aide said, according to NBC. "We have been asking for weeks and not getting specifics, even as the Pentagon is asking for a record-high budget."
Some Democrats have questioned whether sufficient consideration was given to the long-term financial implications of military operations in the region before they began.
What the Numbers Show
The projected repair cost stands at up to $5 billion, according to NBC News reporting. This figure does not include damage to radar systems, weapons systems or aircraft that were impaired or rendered unsalvageable.
Repairs to the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain could total $200 million alone, one congressional official told The New York Times following a Pentagon assessment.
In March, the Pentagon estimated the first six days of operations against Iran cost more than $11.3 billion without repair calculations. Of that amount, $5.6 billion was spent on munitions during just the first two days.
Damaged or destroyed equipment includes at least one fighter jet, a dozen MQ-9 Reaper drones, two MC-130 tankers, helicopters and an E-3 Sentry aircraft.
The Bottom Line
The damage assessment comes as Congress debates military spending levels while receiving limited detailed briefings on operational costs. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed frustration with the lack of specifics from Pentagon officials.
The Trump administration has not publicly disclosed a comprehensive cost estimate for base repairs or equipment replacement, and the extent of insurance claims or partner nation contributions remains unclear. What happens next will likely depend on how long military operations continue and whether supplemental appropriations requests include specific funding for infrastructure restoration.