US links Chinese satellite imagery to Iran strike that killed three American troops

US officials have linked high-resolution satellite imagery provided by Chinese entities to an Iranian missile strike that killed three American soldiers at a US air base in Jordan in July, The Wall Street Journal said in a report. Citing US officials familiar with the matter, the newspaper said on Friday that Iran obtained the imagery before and after the July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, where ballistic missiles struck a housing area, killing three US troops and injuring four others. The finding was described as the clearest indication yet that Chinese assistance to Iran during the war may have had deadly consequences for US forces. Washington has not accused the Chinese government of directly participating in the attack, and the identities of the Chinese entities that allegedly supplied the imagery were not disclosed. According to the report, senior US officials raised the issue with their Chinese counterparts, who denied the allegations and demanded evidence. China’s Foreign Ministry also accused unnamed parties of attempting to associate Beijing with the conflict. The reported intelligence finding comes ahead of a planned September 24 meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Journal said the Trump administration has sought to avoid a public dispute with Beijing that could threaten the summit. Washington sanctioned three Chinese companies in May over the alleged sale of satellite imagery to Iran, the report said. US officials are also increasingly concerned that Chinese-supplied data could be helping Tehran identify and target American warships operating in the region.

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