Foreign media reported that Iran damaged a US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) radar shortly after the US-Israeli "Epic Fury" operation.
CNN reported on Friday, based on satellite imagery it obtained, that Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia was struck by Iranian attacks on June 1, the second day of the war. The AN/TPY-2 radar, a critical component of the THAAD system, was damaged in the attack. Prince Sultan Air Base has been attacked multiple more times since June 1. On June 27, an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft and an aerial refueling tanker on the ground at the base were damaged, and more than 10 US service members were wounded.
The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) listed the price of an AN/TPY-2 antenna at $136 million (approximately 205 billion won) in its 2025 budget proposal. This underscores how Iran has concentrated its strikes on high-value US military equipment.
CNN analyzed that Iran is attempting to degrade America's ability to detect incoming missiles and drones by targeting radar systems. The network also noted that another US AN/TPY-2 radar in Jordan was destroyed, military communications infrastructure was targeted, and an early warning radar in Qatar — costing more than $1 billion (1.5 trillion won) to build — was also damaged.
CNN had previously reported on June 5 that a tent housing the radar at Prince Sultan Air Base was struck, but said at the time it could not confirm whether the radar was present or damaged. That earlier report was based primarily on satellite imagery taken on June 2. CNN now reports, based on newly obtained satellite imagery, that the radar — which is mounted across multiple mobile trailers — appears to have been moved outside the tent onto open ground. The radar antenna shows scorch marks and a large section appears to have broken off.
Signs of First Combat Destruction of US 'Eye in the Sky' E-3
