Fourteen Russian satellites used for intelligence gathering passed over a U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia just two days before a major Iranian attack, according to a CNN analysis.
According to U.S. and international intelligence sources cited by CNN, data collected by these satellites may have given Iran a significant advantage in identifying U.S. targets and carrying out some of the most precise strikes during the conflict.
The primary asset is the Russian Cosmos 2573 satellite, one of the spacecraft used by Moscow to gather intelligence. CNN says it obtained orbital data showing that Cosmos 2573 and 13 other Russian satellites passed over Prince Sultan Air Base, near Riyadh, on March 25, two days before the Iranian attack on March 27.
According to the analysis, the satellites had different capabilities. Some can provide detailed imagery of military facilities, while eight are signals-intelligence satellites capable of intercepting radio and radar emissions. Two satellites use infrared sensors to identify thermal signatures, while three satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) can operate in darkness and through cloud cover.
CNN notes that this data could help determine the positions of air-defense systems and track the movement of military equipment.
The Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base on March 27 caused significant damage and wounded 12 U.S. personnel, according to sources cited by CNN. Among the targets was an AWACS aircraft, an important component of U.S. airborne surveillance capabilities in the region.
According to CNN, U.S. officials suspect that Russian satellite intelligence was also transmitted to Iran on other occasions during the war, including information related to a CIA facility in the Saudi capital.
Experts link the cooperation to U.S. support for Ukraine and intelligence-sharing between Washington and Kyiv. However, the extent to which Russian support has influenced Iranian military operations remains a matter of debate among U.S. officials.
