Satellite images suggest Iran's attack on Qatar base damaged communications structure

The US’s al-Udeid base in Qatar likely suffered damage as a result of Iran’s highly choreographed missile attack in June, according to satellite images reviewed by news organisations.

A geodesic dome housing equipment used for secure communications appeared to have suffered damage from the Iranian strikes, according to images first reported on Thursday by London-based news site Iran International from the geospatial analytics company, Satellogic.

A satellite image of the US base before Iran’s 23 June strike shows the large white globe intact. An image taken on 24 June after the attack shows the globe replaced by a black smear.

The Associated Press also reported the damage by comparing satellite images obtained from Planet Labs of the base on the morning of 23 June - just before the attack - and the following days.

“It is possible a fragment or something else struck the dome, but given the destruction of the dome, it was likely an Iranian attack, possibly with a bomb-carrying drone, given the limited visible damage to surrounding structures,” the Associated Press report said.

If a drone were used, it would suggest Iran was able to penetrate al-Udeid’s air defences while the US and Qatar focused on shooting down ballistic missiles. That could give Iran insights into gaps in American air defences for future attacks.

The damage to the base appears to be small, but it is notable because the US and Qatar had time to prepare for the Iranian attack well in advance. Both the US and Qatar used Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries to shoot down the Iranian ballistic missiles.

Al-Udeid hosts roughly 10,000 US soldiers and serves as the regional headquarters for US Central Command (Centcom).

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Middle East Eye revealed that Iran indirectly coordinated the attack with the US using Qatar as an intermediary. The warning from Iran allowed the US to pull nearly all of its troops from the base, in addition to taking aircraft and other equipment out to Saudi Arabia.

Defence analysts say that the US was expected to fire two to four interceptors for each missile fired. Iran shot 14 missiles at al-Udeid, according to US President Donald Trump.

The Guardian reported that the US fired close to 30 patriot interceptors to down the Iranian barrage.

Dan Caine, US Air Force general and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, told The War Zone news site that the operation to defend al-Udeid was the “largest single Patriot engagement in US military history”.

The attack was seen as de-escalatory by Iran. Shortly after, Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that has held since.

Trump downplayed the attack at the time, calling it a “very weak response” to the US’s bombing of Iran’s Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow nuclear sites.

He said of the 14 missiles Iran fired, 13 were intercepted and one was “set free” because it was “nonthreatening”.

To be sure, Trump left some room in his statement describing the attack, suggesting he knew some damage was done to al-Udeid.

“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done,” he said.

Iran lauded the attack as a major success. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said al-Udeid was the “target of a destructive and powerful missile attack”, while Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the base was “smashed”.

The satellite imagery reported by the Associated Press and Iran International appears to refute those statements, with no other damage visible besides the dome and potentially one building suffering blast damage.

The damaged dome is likely a radome, protecting a Modernised Enterprise Terminal, or MET. The satellite communications system was installed in 2016, according to the US Air Force, at a cost of $15m.