Smart and visual analysis by AP reporters M. Reo, Samy Magdy and Konstantin Toropin revealed information the U.S. government has not disclosed throughout the eight-month war against Iran: a comprehensive accounting of the damage wrought by Iranian attacks on more than two dozen American military bases across the Middle East. Analyzing hard-to-get satellite imagery, the team uncovered extensive destruction at the sites, amounting to billions of dollars in damage. Their analysis also delivered new insights into the level of planning and sophistication behind Iran’s attacks, noting that its first assaults focused on air defenses to clear the way for more substantial strikes.
This project was built across continents and formats. It began with a report from Cairo-based Magdy, who received a tip from regional officials in the Middle East that damage to U.S. military facilities was more extensive than widely believed. The tip included a list of the locations and some of the systems that had been hit. Over several weeks, Reo collected, sorted and analyzed satellite imagery of about 40 military installations. Reo established trends in the Iranian targeting and cross-checked strikes against official U.S. and Iranian statements, media reports and data from nonprofits. Toropin reviewed the discoveries with Reo to confirm the main findings from the images, while graphic artist Kevin Vineys built sliders and interactive graphics using the satellite images to show damage to the hardest-hit bases and how the Iranians struck American assets.
In addition to providing new insight into Iranian strategy and sophistication, the story offered a rare snapshot of the war with Iran, as the Trump administration and the U.S. military have provided few details about the toll of the conflict on people and equipment.
The judges praised the meticulous and visually creative analysis that delivered strong accountability journalism and presented it to audiences in an impactful and engaging way.
For their exceptional reporting and visual presentation, Reo, Magdy, Toropin and Vineys are this week’s Best of the AP — First Winner.
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