Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target US military bases in Middle East - report

Key Points:

• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) secretly purchased the Chinese spy satellite TEE-01B in late 2024 after its launch, using it to monitor US military bases before and after missile and drone strikes, according to the Financial Times.
• The satellite, operated via commercial ground stations run by Beijing-based Emposat, captured images of key locations including Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, and areas near the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain and Erbil airport in Iraq.
• The surveillance coincided with Iranian attacks on these sites, with the satellite imagery dated around the time of strikes confirmed by US officials, highlighting Iran's use of advanced reconnaissance in its regional conflict with the US.
• Reuters could not independently verify the report, and relevant governments and companies involved declined to comment; the development follows earlier reports of Iran receiving Russian satellite intelligence amid ongoing US-Israeli campaigns targeting Iran’s military capabilities.
• The conflict has included missile and drone strikes by Iran and a strategic blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, with recent diplomatic efforts to reopen the vital waterway blocked by Russia and China at the UN Security Council.