Russia Provides Iran with Targeting Intelligence on US Forces in Middle East

Russia is supplying Iran with intelligence to facilitate strikes against American military positions across the Middle East, according to a report. The information, which includes the locations of US warships and aircraft, is described as part of a significant operational effort.

The intelligence sharing began in late February and represents an indirect Russian involvement in the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. While Moscow has publicly called for an end to hostilities, this covert support provides Tehran with critical targeting data.

"This appears to be a fairly large-scale operation," one source familiar with the matter stated. The exact extent of Russian assistance in missile guidance remains unclear, but it comes at a time when Iran's own capabilities for identifying targets have reportedly diminished since the start of recent fighting.

Analysts note that Iran's strikes have been notably precise. "They are doing this very deliberately. They are attacking command and control centers," explained Dara Massicot, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She added that Iranian forces are targeting specific assets like early-warning radars.

The intelligence is considered exceptionally valuable to Tehran due to Iran's limited independent space-based reconnaissance capabilities. The country possesses only a few military satellites and lacks its own dedicated constellation. Russia's Aerospace Forces, having honed their targeting skills during the war in Ukraine, are filling this gap for their ally.

Iranian attacks informed by such intelligence have reportedly extended beyond Israel. Strikes have also hit targets in Kuwait, where six US service members were killed, and facilities linked to the CIA at the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This development contrasts with recent public statements from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who asserted this week that Russia and China are not a "factor" influencing the situation around Iran and that he had no particular message for them regarding the crisis.