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Last Updated:April 01, 2026, 12:27 IST
US officials say both administrations prioritised the Pacific over Red Sea base upgrades, as Iranian strikes expose vulnerabilities in Saudi facilities.
A damaged US Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft following an Iranian strike on the airbase, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
US military officials, both current and former, said consecutive administrations led by Donald Trump and Joe Biden did not act on recommendations to upgrade a network of Saudi bases near the Red Sea. They told The Wall Street Journal that the focus instead was on strengthening the US military’s position in the Pacific to counter China.
Following the onset of the war with Iran, in which the US joined Israel in carrying out strikes, Tehran has repeatedly targeted Prince Sultan Air Base.
The base, a large Saudi Arabian facility that has occasionally hosted US forces, was among those American commanders had identified as “potentially vulnerable".
Iran fired ballistic missiles and drones that heavily damaged or destroyed American aircraft at the base and injured about a dozen troops. An E-3 Awacs radar aircraft and refuelling tankers were among those struck on Friday. The base is approximately 644 kilometres from Iran.
Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:
April 01, 2026, 12:27 IST
News world Trump, Biden Didn’t Act On Plans To Bolster Defences In Saudi Bases Now Hit By Iran: Report
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