The U.S. believes that Russia has been providing Iran the locations of American troops in the Middle East, including aircraft and ships, according to two people familiar with the intelligence.
The alleged assistance, first reported by The Washington Post, is alarming because it would enable the Iranians to target specific locations with ballistic missiles and drones, putting U.S. service members at risk.
When asked about the aid to Iran, an intelligence official confirmed that the U.S. believes Russia is supplying Tehran intelligence, but did not say exactly what type of information was being shared.
An F-35C Lightning II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314, launches from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury, March 3, 2026.
US Navy
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not deny the report on Friday, instead saying it didn’t matter because the U.S. was still winning the war.
“It clearly is not making a difference with respect to the military operations in Iran because we are completely decimating them,” Leavitt told reporters on Friday.
A member of the U.S. forces at an undisclosed location taking part in Epic Fury operations.
U.S. Central Command
Leavitt added that the U.S. is achieving the military objectives of this operation, including destroying some 30 ships and crippling Iran’s ability to launch ballistic missiles.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to the media at the White House, Washington, D.C., March 6, 2026.
Will Oliver/EPA via Shutterstock
“And that is going to continue because the United States military is the best and most, most lethal fighting force in the world,” she said.
Damage to buildings on a Kuwaiti military base which hosts American troops.
Planet Labs PBC
Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California, were killed Saturday in Kuwait from an Iranian drone attack, the Pentagon said.
Department of Defense
Six U.S. service members were killed March 1 during an Iranian drone attack on a base in Kuwait. At least 10 other troops have been severely wounded in operations across the region.
The CIA declined to comment. The Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Gleb Nikitin at the Kremlin, in , Russia, Friday, March 6, 2026. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
The Associated Press
Russia has not addressed the allegations. But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said previously that Iran hasn’t asked for help.
“Our consistent position is well known to everyone, and there is no change,” Peskov said at a press briefing.
ABC News’ Cindy Smith contributed to this report.
