US officials say Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery from Chinese sources before and after a July 17 missile strike on a Jordan airbase (file photo)
Iran had reportedly obtained high-resolution satellite imagery from Chinese sources before launching a missile attack on a US military base in Jordan that killed three American soldiers in July. A Wall Street Journal report citing US officials familiar with the incident states that Washington has linked the imagery to Iran’s July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in northeastern Jordan, marking what they described as the clearest evidence so far that Chinese support for Iran during the conflict may have had deadly consequences for US forces. The officials did not identify the Chinese entities that supplied the imagery and stopped short of accusing the Chinese government of directly assisting the attack. The revelation comes at a sensitive moment for Washington and Beijing, with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to meet on September 24. US officials have sought to avoid a public confrontation with China that could jeopardise the summit.
How did the images help Iran?
US officials had warned their Chinese counterparts for months that Chinese companies were providing satellite imagery to Iran that could potentially be used to target American forces and facilities in the region. According to the Journal report, Iranian access to high-resolution imagery was particularly significant because US strikes earlier in the war had damaged Iranian radar, satellites and other surveillance equipment, limiting Tehran’s ability to monitor American military positions. Iran initially appeared to have difficulty identifying high-value US targets, with its forces frequently striking less important locations. But US officials said Iranian targeting accuracy improved during the summer. Three days after the July 17 attack, Iran released high-resolution images showing damage to three areas of the Jordanian base. A Journal analysis of publicly available satellite imagery found that more than 20 facilities had been damaged across those areas. Jim Lamson, a former CIA analyst specialising in Iranian military affairs and weapons, said high-resolution imagery could help Iran identify changes at a military facility and select “the most impactful targets at the right time”. Such imagery could also allow Tehran to assess the damage caused by an attack and determine where it might strike again. The Chinese imagery was likely only one part of Iran’s intelligence picture, analysts and former officials said. Tehran also has its own satellite capabilities and access to information from human sources and Russian satellite systems.
Three US troops killed in Jordan
The Muwaffaq Salti attack was one of three separate missile strikes on the base within a 24-hour period. Iranian ballistic missiles struck an area where US troops were sleeping, killing three soldiers and wounding four others. The attacks also targeted manned and unmanned aircraft at the facility. It was the first Iranian attack to kill US troops since an April ceasefire and highlighted the difficulty of protecting American personnel even at a heavily fortified military installation. US officials have also raised concerns that Chinese technology and data could be helping Iran improve its ability to track American naval assets. In recent days, Iran has launched ballistic missiles towards a US aircraft carrier and other warships. US Central Command said the attacks failed, but American officials said some missiles came close to their targets, raising concerns about Tehran’s improving ability to strike moving vessels. The reported assistance is part of a broader flow of Chinese technology and data to Iran, including navigation services and components used in drones and missiles. In May, the Trump administration sanctioned three Chinese companies – Mizart Vision, Earth Eye and Chang Guang – accusing them of providing, collecting or disseminating imagery that Iran could use to target US forces. US officials had also previously accused Chang Guang of providing satellite imagery that directly supported Houthi attacks in Yemen.
Beijing demands proof
The latest allegations have already been raised with Chinese officials, according to the Journal. US officials said their Chinese counterparts demanded evidence and denied that Chinese companies had provided assistance for the attack. The administration has publicly played down the significance of any Chinese support. Days after the July 17 strike, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked whether China was providing Iran with targeting information. He did not directly answer, saying only that “nothing China has done has in any way changed the course of the conflict.” A White House official similarly told the Journal that outside assistance had not enhanced Iran’s ability to attack the United States, while declining to comment specifically on the satellite imagery. The issue is particularly sensitive because of the close links between China’s commercial satellite industry and the state. US officials and analysts say the distinction between private companies and government-linked entities can be difficult to draw, with some ostensibly commercial firms operating under extensive government oversight. Congressional officials said the Trump administration has also briefed members of the House and Senate intelligence committees in recent weeks about intelligence on support that Russia and China are providing to Iran. For Washington, the challenge is now twofold: limiting Iran’s ability to obtain intelligence that could put US troops and military assets at risk while preventing the issue from opening a new front with Beijing just weeks before Trump and Xi are expected to meet.
