Iran used Chinese satellite images for attack on US base in Jordan, says report - Middle East Eye
Iran used high-resolution satellite imagery provided by Chinese entities to carry out its attack on an American base in Jordan that killed three US troops in July, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Tehran received high-resolution satellite images of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, which was heavily damaged in the 17 July strike, US officials told the newspaper.
The officials did not name the Chinese entities or suggest that the Chinese government was directly involved in the attack.
The report comes as tensions between Washington and Beijing escalate ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on 24 September.
US officials have been warning for months about Chinese companies selling satellite imagery that Iran could use against US forces, the journal said.
In July, Iranian ballistic missiles struck a housing area at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in northeastern Jordan, killing three US soldiers and wounding four others.
Iran also targeted manned and unmanned aircraft at the base, the officials said.
The attack marked the first US military deaths since an April ceasefire, heightening Washington’s fears about Iran’s growing ability to find and strike American military sites.
Within three days of the attack, Iran released high-resolution images showing damage to some parts of the base.
According to lower-resolution satellite images available publicly, more than 20 structures were damaged.
According to US officials, this is the most compelling proof to date that Chinese support for Iran during the war may have had deadly consequences for American forces.
Chinese authorities have denied the allegations and asked for evidence.
According to the report, a Chinese embassy in Washington spokesperson, Liu Chang, accused unnamed critics of “maliciously linking and smearing other countries” by taking advantage of the conflict, and added that Chinese cooperation with Iran was in accordance with international law.
Iran also relies on its own satellites and human sources, as well as intelligence and imagery from Russia, US officials said.
Chinese imagery was likely one of many intelligence sources used by Iran.
In May, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on MizarVision, Earth Eye and Chang Guang, saying they provided, collected or published imagery Iran could use to target US forces.
The US administration is also worried that China may be assisting Iran in tracking American naval assets.
Officials said Iran's ability to strike moving American warships appeared to be improving, though recent Iranian attacks on US ships had failed, according to the US Central Command.
In recent weeks, US officials have briefed congressional intelligence committees on alleged support that Russia and China are giving Iran.
The Trump administration, however, has played down the impact of Chinese support publicly.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, declined to say directly whether Beijing was providing Iran with targeting information, saying that “nothing that China has done has in any way changed the trajectory of the conflict”.
