Verified pictures show a US command and control aircraft has been destroyed at an air base in Saudi Arabia. The pictures appear to have been first shared by a Facebook page carrying US military news, depicting the E-3 Sentry aircraft as having been split in two.
Confirmation of the photos reveals they were taken at the Prince Sultan air base, located about 100km (62 miles) southeast of the Saudi capital Riyadh. Features visible in the images, including pylons, storage units, and markings on paved areas, matched with satellite imagery.
Although US Central Command has not yet publicly commented on the incident, the BBC has sought clarification. A US official informed Reuters that 12 personnel sustained injuries in an attack carried out by Iranian military forces at the air base, with two reported to be serious cases. The Wall Street Journal mentioned that damage was also incurred by at least two US refueling aircraft.
Iran's IRGC-linked Fars news agency subsequently asserted that the E-3 aircraft was struck by a Shahed drone.
Additional verification from BBC Verify has shown an E-3 aircraft in the same location via satellite images captured on 11 March, but it remains unconfirmed if they are identical aircraft.
In one of the verified images, the aircraft's tail number is visible, and flight tracking site Flightradar24 indicated it was operational near the base on 18 March. A recent satellite image captured on Friday has also revealed a fire on the air base apron, although its connection to the incident involving the damaged aircraft has not been established.
The Boeing E-3 Awacs aircraft is significant for its radar technology, which enables long-range target detection, forming a crucial part of air operation commands. The E-3 entered service in 1977 and is expected to remain in use until 2035.
