TEHRAN — Five U.S. Air Force KC‑135 refueling aircraft were damaged on the ground at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia during an Iranian missile strike, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal. The attack, confirmed by two U.S. officials, marks one of the most consequential blows to American aerial logistics since Washington and Tel Aviv launched their joint campaign against Iran on February 28.

The officials told the WSJ that the aircraft were struck during a recent wave of Iranian missile fire targeting the Saudi base. While the tankers were not completely destroyed, they sustained significant damage and are undergoing repairs. No casualties were reported. 
The strike brings the total number of U.S. refueling aircraft damaged or lost in the past week to at least seven. The tally includes the KC‑135 that crashed in western Iraq on March 12, killing all six crew members. CENTCOM insists the crash was not caused by hostile fire, but the Islamic Resistance in Iraq — an Iraqi resistance group — claimed responsibility, saying it shot down the aircraft “with the appropriate weapon.” The group framed the incident as part of its expanding campaign to target U.S. military infrastructure supporting the so-called Operation Epic Fury.

The U.S. death toll since the conflict escalated now stands at 13, with more than 140 wounded. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell acknowledged that eight of the wounded service members suffered severe injuries.
Prince Sultan Air Base has long served as a central hub for U.S. air operations in the Persian Gulf, particularly for refueling missions that enable long‑range strike and surveillance aircraft. The Iranian strike — which Saudi defenses failed to fully intercept — highlights the growing reach and precision of Tehran’s missile arsenal.

Regional analysts note that refueling aircraft are among the most strategically valuable and vulnerable assets in the U.S. inventory. Damaging multiple tankers on the ground, even without destroying them, can disrupt sortie rates and complicate logistics across the entire theater.

The U.S. has begun relocating portions of its refueling fleet from the base, a move that underscores the shifting risk calculus as Iran and the regional resistance demonstrate their ability to hit high‑value targets deep inside U.S. operating zones.

With the war now stretching into its third week, the pattern is clear. Iran and the regional resistance are targeting the logistical backbone of U.S. power projection — refueling aircraft, fixed bases, and command infrastructure — while Washington struggles to maintain operational tempo and regional deterrence.

The damaged tankers at Prince Sultan Air Base appear to be more than a tactical setback. They signal a conflict that is widening, intensifying, and increasingly defined by the vulnerabilities of U.S. forces operating across a region transformed by new missile and drone realities.