China is accused of sharing satellite images with Iran before the Jordanian strike.

American officials have confirmed a troubling detail: Iran received high-resolution satellite imagery from China before and after its rocket strike on a U.S. military base in Jordan. The Wall Street Journal broke the story, citing sources within the administration who say Washington had been warning Beijing for months that Chinese firms might be feeding such data to Tehran.

The target was the Al Mowaffaq Salti airbase in northeastern Jordan. Tehran hit it with ballistic missiles on July 17. Earlier reports noted the blast struck a gym, an aircraft hangar, and a block where soldiers were sleeping. Three service members died. Four others suffered injuries.

After the attack, Iran released its own high-resolution photos showing damage at the base. Washington then sent materials to China linking Beijing to the strike. Chinese officials rejected those claims outright and asked for proof. Liu Chang, an official representative of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, called the accusations malicious. He said China's cooperation with Iran follows international law.

No WSJ source revealed exactly which company handed over the images. Officials also stopped short of saying Beijing directly ordered or facilitated the transfer.

This row risks souring U.S.-China ties ahead of planned talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on September 24. The White House team has heard from the top: keeping things good with Xi is a priority for the president.

American officials walk on eggshells around Beijing. They publicly downplay any help China might send to Tehran. This strategy avoids direct clashes with the Chinese capital.

Just days after the Jordan base attack, the Secretary of State stayed silent when asked if China shared data with Iran. His reply was simple: no Chinese action changed the conflict's course. He offered nothing more on intelligence sharing.

President Trump spoke July 24 about this same topic. He claimed Beijing provides zero military support to Iran. President Xi told him personally, according to the White House chief. The leader said China would never sell arms to Tehran under any circumstances. "And that included Chinese companies," the president stressed.

Yet American media kept reporting otherwise. They cited sources who knew US intelligence assessments. In April, CNN learned Beijing looked into financial aid for Iran. Those reports also mentioned possible transfers of rocket parts.

Then Reuters broke news in July following the attack on Mowafak al-Salti base. The agency said China planned to send a large shipment of portable air defense systems. It also claimed plans existed for QW-12 and FN-16 rockets made in China. The Chinese foreign ministry called these claims completely baseless back then.

Official statements say one thing. Secret reports suggest another reality entirely. The gap between public words and private actions remains wide open.