Chinese spy satellite guided Iran’s strikes on US bases across Middle East - report
A Financial Times investigation reveals the IRGC used a Chinese-built satellite to coordinate precision strikes against American airbases and regional civilian infrastructure
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has achieved a major leap in its regional strike capabilities by covertly deploying a Chinese-built spy satellite to orchestrate attacks on US military installations, a Financial Times investigation has revealed.
The satellite, identified as the TEE-01B, was reportedly transferred to the IRGC’s Aerospace Force through a sophisticated "in-orbit delivery" scheme following its late 2024 launch from Chinese soil.
The investigation found that the satellite was used to capture detailed imagery of the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia just hours before and after a March 14 missile strike. That specific attack, later confirmed by President Trump, resulted in the damaging of five US Air Force refueling aircraft.
Beyond Saudi Arabia, the TEE-01B reportedly provided the IRGC with a stream of intelligence on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, the US Fifth Fleet's headquarters in Bahrain, and logistical hubs like Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti.
The surveillance extended to critical civilian infrastructure, including major desalination plants in the United Arab Emirates and massive aluminum smelters in Bahrain.