Iran reportedly used high-resolution satellite imagery from Chinese commercial providers to plan an attack on a US military base in Jordan in July, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials familiar with the matter.
The reported target was Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a US military facility in Jordan. Three US service members were killed in the attack, according to the report.
US officials said Tehran had obtained high-resolution satellite images of the military base before the strike. However, the officials did not identify the Chinese companies that allegedly provided the imagery.
The US officials also did not accuse the Chinese government of directly participating in the alleged transfer of satellite imagery to Iran.
According to The Wall Street Journal, senior US officials raised the issue with their Chinese counterparts. Chinese officials reportedly rejected the allegations and asked Washington to provide evidence supporting the claims.
The report comes after Washington imposed sanctions in May on three Chinese companies over allegations that they had supplied similar satellite imagery to Iran.
The latest allegations could further complicate relations between Washington and Beijing, while also raising concerns over the use of commercially available high-resolution satellite imagery in military operations.
Source: The Wall Street Journal.
