WSJ: US links Chinese imagery to Iranian attack in Jordan
US officials have linked high-resolution satellite imagery provided by Chinese entities to Iran’s missile strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on July 17. Three US service members were killed in the attack and four others were injured, Anadolu Agency reports, citing The Wall Street Journal.
Imagery before and after the strike
According to WSJ sources, Tehran received these images before and after the attack. Ballistic missiles struck a residential area on the base’s territory.
The Wall Street Journal called the information the clearest indication so far that Chinese assistance to Iran during the war had lethal consequences for US military personnel.
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Beijing and Washington’s response
Washington did not accuse Beijing of direct involvement in the attack, and the names of the Chinese imagery suppliers were not disclosed, the outlet notes. Senior US officials raised the issue with their Chinese counterparts, who denied the allegations and demanded evidence.
China’s Foreign Ministry accused unnamed parties of attempting to link Beijing to the conflict. In May, the United States imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies over the sale of imagery to Iran. US officials are also concerned that Chinese data could help Tehran identify targets among US military ships in the region.
The report emerged several weeks before the planned September 24 meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to the newspaper, the US administration had sought to avoid publicly escalating relations with China, which could have jeopardized the summit.
