US believes Iran used Chinese satellite images for Jordan airbase strike

US officials believe that Iran obtained high resolution satellite images from Chinese sources before carrying out an attack on Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti airbase in July, killing three American soldiers, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

The unnamed officials described the intelligence as the "clearest" evidence of Chinese support for Tehran during the US-Israeli war launched in late February.

The officials declined to  identify which Chinese entity had provided the satellite images, and stopped short of accusing Beijing of direct involvement. Sources indicated that senior US officials raised the issue with their Chinese counterparts, who dismissed the concerns and denied the involvement of Chinese firms.

The US believes that Iran acquired images of both before and after the attack, according to the report.

The report also quoted informed sources as saying that Washington is concerned about the possibility of Beijing assisting Iran in tracking US naval vessels. Iran has in recent days launched ballistic missiles toward a US aircraft carrier and other warships in the region. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the attacks missed their target, however sources who spoke to the WSJ said the strikes came "close".

Officials told the US news outlet that the Trump administration had in recent weeks briefed congressional intelligence committees on information relating to Russian and Chinese support  for Iran.

In July, Trump warned Russia and China against interfering in the war with Iran, though said he did not believe that the two countries were "involved". The president added that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had assured him during his visit to Beijing that China would not supply or sell weapons to Iran.