NBC News reports that more than 100 American targets across seven countries have been hit by Iran, including Camp Buehring in Kuwait, which was reportedly struck by an F-5 aircraft.
According to NBC News, Iran successfully carried out one of its boldest operations since the beginning of regional escalation by striking an American base in Kuwait using a Northrop F-5 fighter jet, a technologically outdated aircraft compared to modern Western systems.
Despite its age, the Iranian aircraft managed to bypass several layers of air defense to reach Camp Buehring, a significant American installation. This marks the first time in years that an enemy combat aircraft has struck an American military base, as highlighted by NBC News. The F-5 is equipped with two cannons and can carry air-to-air missiles, rockets, or bombs.
This strike is seen as a military lesson by Defence Security Asia, demonstrating that operational efficiency also relies on planning, cunning, and the adversary’s complacency.
The F-5, originally developed by American Northrop during the Cold War, was designed as a simple, economical, and exportable aircraft. Despite Western embargo after the 1979 revolution, Iran continued to operate the F-5, developing its own maintenance capabilities to upgrade these aging aircraft with modern armaments.
NBC News estimates that the Iranian bombardment on Camp Buehring could cost up to $5 billion in repairs.
