Iranian news agency releases images of US bases amid Gulf tensions
An Iranian press agency has shared aerial photographs of American military installations in the Gulf region over two consecutive days this week, heightening concerns in France and spotlighting potential targets as confrontations between Washington and Tehran intensify.
The images, released without accompanying text, featured overhead views of Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and Isa Air Base in Bahrain on Wednesday. Each photo included only the day of the week and date in the Persian calendar. Fars News Agency, seen as aligned with Iran's security forces, has a history of issuing such warnings; Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that US bases across the Gulf would face retaliation in response to any American strikes.
These publications follow a significant clash on Tuesday, when a US F-35C fighter jet downed an Iranian Shahed-139 drone that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln aggressively in the Arabian Sea, roughly 500 miles from Iran's coast. Hours later, two vessels from Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps and another drone neared a US-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, issuing threats to seize the ship.
No fresh intelligence emerged from the photos. AFP verified that the Isa Air Base images are outdated, and satellite analysis showed no major aircraft buildup at Al Dhafra as of February 3. The releases coincide with preparations for potential nuclear talks, as US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are set to meet in Oman on Friday, though Iran aims to confine discussions to its nuclear program while the US pushes to address ballistic missiles and regional activities.
France voiced particular alarm, given its forces stationed at Al Dhafra alongside US and Emirati troops. President Emmanuel Macron addressed the matter on Tuesday, stating that France remains highly vigilant and has implemented all required measures to ensure optimal security for its personnel on site. The base hosts six French Rafale fighter jets and lies about 225 kilometers from Iran's Persian Gulf coast.
The backdrop includes President Donald Trump's deployment of what he termed an armada to the Middle East, centered on the Lincoln carrier group, amid threats of military action following Iran's deadly crackdown on protesters in January. Iranian leaders have cautioned that any US assault would prompt retaliatory strikes across the region, a message echoed in a new Tehran billboard depicting crushed US aircraft with Iranians raising their flag over the wreckage.
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