TEHRAN – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force released on Wednesday “high resolution” images of a U.S. military base in Qatar captured by its newly-launched satellite, Nour-1.

“The images taken through mosaicking method by Nour-1 Satellite, which was launched successfully on April 22, are high resolution and show the U.S. biggest airbase in the Middle-East in Qatar which hosts nearly 13,000 American forces,” the Fars news agency reported on Wednesday.

Nour-1 was Iran’s first military satellite that was put into orbit by the IRGC Aerospace Force using the Qassed satellite carrier.

The IRGC used it to monitor targets during its latest military exercises in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman.

During the exercises, the IRGC struck mock targets, including a replica of a U.S. aircraft carrier, and practiced countermeasures to destroy Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an American anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to intercept short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

“During these exercises, we deployed a mock THAAD for the first time, then hit it with anti-radar missiles,” the Tasnim news agency quoted IRGC Aerospace commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh as saying on Wednesday.

SKM/PA