The Wall Street Journal reported on September 11 that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite images of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan from Chinese entities prior to its July 17 ballistic missile attack there. U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence connected the imagery directly to the strike, which they described as the clearest evidence yet that Chinese support for Iran has produced lethal consequences for American forces. The officials said Iran secured the images both before the assault and afterward to review the damage inflicted. They declined to identify the specific Chinese entities involved and issued no accusations of direct participation by the Chinese government.
The Iranian missiles struck a housing area at the northeastern Jordan base where U.S. troops were sleeping, according to the officials. The attack killed Army Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of New York, First Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Hawaii, and Pfc. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Texas. Four other service members were wounded and medically evacuated. Iranian forces also targeted manned and unmanned aircraft stationed at the facility, U.S. officials told the Journal.
Chinese officials demanded proof when American counterparts raised the issue of satellite imagery support for Iran and refused to acknowledge that Chinese companies may have assisted in targeting, the report stated. The findings surface less than two weeks before President Donald Trump is set to host Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House on September 24. The timing adds potential friction to the summit amid broader U.S. frustrations with Beijing over the matter.
In May the Trump administration sanctioned three Chinese companies—MizarVision, Earth Eye and Chang Guang—for providing, collecting or publishing satellite imagery that Iran could use against U.S. forces. State Department officials had earlier accused Chang Guang of supplying imagery that aided attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, calling the assistance unacceptable. These sanctions formed part of American efforts to disrupt such intelligence flows to Iranian allies and proxies.
The July 17 strike occurred within the wider Iran conflict that began February 28, 2026 with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, according to multiple timelines of the war. Jordan hosts roughly 4,000 American soldiers at its bases, a New York Times report from July 29 stated. Muwaffaq Salti Air Base has functioned as a key logistics hub for U.S. operations throughout the conflict, according to analysts cited in regional coverage.
U.S. officials have continued to monitor commercial satellite providers for potential assistance to Iran, the Journal reported. The sanctioned companies were identified earlier this year as sources of imagery that could support Iranian targeting. Further specifics on the images linked to the Jordan strike have not been publicly detailed.
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