Shafaq News- Washington
The United States has linked high-resolution satellite imagery supplied by “Chinese entities” to an Iranian missile strike that left seven casualties at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on July 17, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
The outlet, citing informed officials, said Tehran obtained imagery of the base before and after the attack, in which ballistic missiles struck a housing area, killing three US service members and wounding four others –the “clearest evidence so far” of Chinese assistance to Iran during the war that had lethal consequences for US forces.
The officials did not identify the Chinese entities involved or accuse the Chinese government of direct participation. Senior US officials raised the issue with Chinese counterparts, who denied the allegations and demanded evidence, according to the Journal, while China’s Foreign Ministry rejected attempts to link Beijing to the conflict.
In May, the US Treasury had already sanctioned several Chinese entities, including The Earth Eye Co. and Chang Guang Satellite Technology, citing support for Iran’s conventional arms activities. US officials are also examining whether Chinese-supplied imagery may be helping Iran track American warships across the Middle East, the outlet added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Washington on September 24. US President Donald Trump announced the date in July, although Beijing has not publicly confirmed all details of the visit.