CBS airs photos of damage at US bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait from Iran strikes

September 16, 2026 at 07:46 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

CBS News aired exclusive photographs showing extensive damage to US military bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait from Iranian missile and drone attacks. The images, obtained anonymously from US service members, reveal destroyed aircraft, barracks, and vehicles. The Pentagon estimates the conflict with Iran has cost approximately $38 billion as of August 1, 2026.

Key Facts

CBS News obtained photographs anonymously from US service members at two bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
One photo from the Saudi airbase shows a destroyed Boeing E-3 Sentry with damage to its tail section.
At Camp Buehring in Kuwait, images show burned vehicles and collapsed buildings described as resembling a junkyard.
The Pentagon's conflict with Iran cost about $38 billion as of August 1, 2026, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Vice President J.D. Vance said the conflict will enter a new phase within a couple of months, with the first stage of destroying Iran's nuclear program and military already complete.

Damage at US Bases

CBS News aired exclusive photographs showing widespread damage at US military bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait from Iranian missile and drone attacks. The images were provided by US service members on condition of anonymity. One service member told CBS, "This is serious damage to our bases that was not reported to the American public." At the Saudi airbase, a Boeing E-3 Sentry was destroyed with the strike hitting the aircraft's tail section. Other photographs from the base show destroyed barracks. At Camp Buehring in Kuwait, the main staging ground for US ground forces, armor, and part of the air force, images show a charred vehicle and collapsed buildings with debris resembling a junkyard.

Explosions on Qeshm Island

Several explosions were heard on Qeshm Island in southern Iran, Reuters reported citing Iran's IRNA agency. IRNA provided no further details on the blasts.

War Costs and Future Phase

The US Department of Defense spent approximately $38 billion on the conflict with Iran as of August 1, 2026, according to a Congressional Budget Office report. Each additional month of the campaign will cost between $2 billion and $3 billion depending on the intensity of fighting. In June, the administration requested $87.6 billion in additional funds from Congress, including $67.1 billion for the Pentagon. Vice President J.D. Vance told the New York Post that the conflict will enter a completely different phase within a couple of months. Vance said the first stage—destroying Iran's nuclear program and armed forces—is already complete, and the second stage is preventing Iran from recovering.