Iran Drone Strike Destroys $35M MQ-9 Predator in Kuwait, Exposing Vulnerability of U.S.
Defence affairs - Def-Geopolitics on X Strike on Ali Al Salem Air Base raises alarm over exposure of Western surveillance assets as Iranian retaliation campaign expands across U.S.-aligned bases in the Middle East. The destruction of an Italian MQ-9A Predator unmanned aerial vehicle valued at approximately USD35 million (≈RM133 million) inside a hardened aircraft shelter at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait on 15 March 2026 signals a widening operational threat to Western intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance force posture across the Gulf theatre amid intensifying Iran-aligned retaliation cycles. The strike, widely attributed to Iranian-linked drone operations during the ongoing 2026 regional conflict, targeted a facility hosting both United States and Italian military assets, immediately elevating concern among defence planners that high-value ISR platforms remain exposed even inside protected infrastructure designed to mitigate missile and drone attacks. Confirmat...
