New reports suggest Iran’s retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases across the Gulf caused far more damage than publicly acknowledged. Officials and analysts estimate over $5 billion may be needed to repair critical infrastructure, including runways, hangars and command centres. Multiple bases across Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq were reportedly hit, with even a runway at Al Udeid said to be destroyed. The strikes marked a rare direct hit on U.S. military assets in the region. As questions mount over the real impact, the episode is reshaping perceptions of the conflict’s scale.