Media Claims Iran Used Chinese Satellite to Target U.S. Bases

(MENAFN) Iran allegedly deployed a Chinese-built surveillance satellite to monitor U.S. military installations across the Middle East during a conflict triggered by strikes from the United States and Israel, a British newspaper reported Wednesday.

The report, citing leaked military files, satellite imagery, and orbital tracking data, claims Tehran used space-based intelligence to observe American positions ahead of coordinated attacks.

According to the findings, the satellite—identified as TEE-01B—was manufactured by China-based firm Earth Eye and launched in late 2024. It was reportedly acquired soon after by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Orbital data analysis suggests the satellite, capable of capturing images at roughly half-meter resolution, passed over key U.S. military sites at critical moments coinciding with drone and missile strikes.

Targets under surveillance allegedly included American bases in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and Iraq.

The report stated that the images were recorded immediately before and after the drone and missile attacks and argued that the satellite may have been used to help direct the strikes.

According to the newspaper, Iran was also granted access to ground station infrastructure operated by Beijing-based company Emposat, enabling it to retrieve satellite data via a network extending beyond its borders, from Asia to Latin America.

Specialists cited in the report described the development as a significant leap in Iran’s intelligence-gathering capabilities, noting that a transfer of such advanced technology would likely require authorization from Beijing.

Separately, U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier indicated he was weighing a 50% tariff on nations offering military assistance to Iran.

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