Five U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft were damaged on Saturday in Iranian drone strikes targeting Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, U.S. Central Command confirmed, marking one of the most damaging single attacks on American military assets since the conflict began on February 28.

The drones, launched from Iranian territory, struck aircraft stationed on the flight line in the early morning hours before base defenses could intercept all incoming threats. The damaged aircraft were described as KC-135 Stratotanker refueling planes, which have played a critical role in supporting sustained American air operations against Iranian targets.

President Trump, speaking from the White House, condemned the strike and called on allied nations to take a more active role in lifting Iran’s naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He said the attack would not go unanswered and that the United States would respond at a time and place of its choosing.

U.S. Central Command said no American personnel were killed in the attack, though several service members sustained minor injuries. Saudi base personnel and American troops worked quickly to secure the flight line and assess the full extent of the damage.

The strike underscored Iran’s capability and willingness to target U.S. military infrastructure deep within the Arabian Peninsula, far from the primary zone of conflict near Iranian borders. Military analysts said the attack was likely intended to degrade American air refueling capacity and increase the operational costs of maintaining the current tempo of strikes.

Saudi officials condemned the attack in strong terms and said their air defenses had intercepted dozens of accompanying drones before they could reach other sensitive installations on the base. Riyadh has been under sustained pressure from Tehran since allowing U.S. forces to operate from its territory at the start of the conflict.

The damage to the KC-135 fleet comes at a critical moment, as American strike packages targeting Iranian missile sites and military installations have relied heavily on aerial refueling to maintain their operational range across the vast distances of the Middle East.

Pentagon officials said the attack highlighted the need for additional air defense systems around key bases and that requests had been submitted to expand coverage at Prince Sultan and other facilities hosting American personnel. Patriot battery deployments were reportedly being accelerated in response.

Iran’s state media celebrated what it described as a successful precision strike against the American military apparatus enabling the war. The IRGC issued a statement claiming full responsibility and warning that further strikes would follow if the United States continued its military campaign.

The attack added to a growing list of incidents targeting U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iraq since the conflict began, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of the current basing arrangements and the willingness of Gulf partners to absorb ongoing Iranian retaliation on behalf of the American military effort.