Satellite imagery and intelligence support provided by Chinese groups has helped Iran threaten ships in the Strait of Hormuz and launch precision strikes on US military bases in the Middle East, part of a dramatic improvement in Iranian targeting capabilities over the past several months, according to a series of recent American intelligence assessments described to CNN by four sources.
The imagery allowed Iran to strike a US base in Jordan in July, a strike that killed three American service members, with a level of precision US officials believe was otherwise beyond Iran’s capabilities, the sources said.
Chinese geospatial data has also enhanced Iran’s ability to track ships through the strait, giving Iranian drones and missiles a higher chance of successfully hitting targets, according to one of the officials.
Two other sources said the data has allowed Iran to use otherwise unsophisticated heatseeking drones that cannot be maneuvered in midair to threaten ships by helping time launches.
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