Riley Mellen
@rileymellen.bsky.social
Visual Investigations reporter for NYT. Let's chat: riley.mellen@nytimes.com, Signal, DMs, etc.
You can check out the Visual Investigations page here. (nytimes.com/spotlight/vi...). Sign up for our newsletter, send us a tip, or see more of our work there.
One final, massive thanks for David Botti's wonderful editing skills. That’s all for now 🔍🔍🔍
One final, massive thanks for David Botti's wonderful editing skills. That’s all for now 🔍🔍🔍
Visual Investigations
The Visual Investigations team uses forensic analysis, digital sleuthing and advanced open-source reporting techniques to debunk official narratives, expose misconduct and hold the powerful to account...
nytimes.com
June 26, 2025 at 9:02 PM
You can check out the Visual Investigations page here. (nytimes.com/spotlight/vi...). Sign up for our newsletter, send us a tip, or see more of our work there.
One final, massive thanks for David Botti's wonderful editing skills. That’s all for now 🔍🔍🔍
One final, massive thanks for David Botti's wonderful editing skills. That’s all for now 🔍🔍🔍
Here's another link to the full story: www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/w...
A U.S. Base in Saudi Arabia Expands to Help Counter Iran
www.nytimes.com
June 26, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Here's another link to the full story: www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/w...
If even a fraction of these plans come to fruition, this will be quite the sizable facility:
June 26, 2025 at 9:00 PM
If even a fraction of these plans come to fruition, this will be quite the sizable facility:
Also worth mentioning that this is not the final state for LSA Jenkins. A slide deck I found online contains planning documents that suggest the base may get bigger – a lot bigger. Take a look: www.same.org/wp-content/u...
www.same.org
June 26, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Also worth mentioning that this is not the final state for LSA Jenkins. A slide deck I found online contains planning documents that suggest the base may get bigger – a lot bigger. Take a look: www.same.org/wp-content/u...
3. Gives troops and air defense systems more time to respond, take shelter, etc. from a missile attack.
All of which would ultimately make US supply lines in the event of a full-blown war with Iran a bit more robust.
All of which would ultimately make US supply lines in the event of a full-blown war with Iran a bit more robust.
June 26, 2025 at 8:58 PM
3. Gives troops and air defense systems more time to respond, take shelter, etc. from a missile attack.
All of which would ultimately make US supply lines in the event of a full-blown war with Iran a bit more robust.
All of which would ultimately make US supply lines in the event of a full-blown war with Iran a bit more robust.
So moving farther away: 1. Forces Iran to use longer-range missiles, which are less accurate and fail more often (there are also fewer of them). 2. Forces Iran to have to pick and choose from a greater number of targets to strike. (cont...)
June 26, 2025 at 8:58 PM
So moving farther away: 1. Forces Iran to use longer-range missiles, which are less accurate and fail more often (there are also fewer of them). 2. Forces Iran to have to pick and choose from a greater number of targets to strike. (cont...)
(Iran has historically made not-so-subtle threats to US and Israeli bases/assets in the region in public statements and videos of military exercises, e.g.) www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlXE...
Exclusive | IRGC Unveils 'Underground' Missiles in Its New Drill
YouTube video by IMA Media • ایما مدیا
www.youtube.com
June 26, 2025 at 8:58 PM
(Iran has historically made not-so-subtle threats to US and Israeli bases/assets in the region in public statements and videos of military exercises, e.g.) www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlXE...
Iran, on Monday, made good on their longstanding threats to target US bases in the Gulf and fired a salvo of missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. 🎁📎 www.nytimes.com/2025/06/25/w...
Iran’s Attack on a U.S. Base in Qatar Is a Nightmare Come True for Gulf States
www.nytimes.com
June 26, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Iran, on Monday, made good on their longstanding threats to target US bases in the Gulf and fired a salvo of missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. 🎁📎 www.nytimes.com/2025/06/25/w...
LSA Jenkins is on the western side of Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea. Part of the reason it's there, experts like
@dexeve.bsky.social and Brian Carter told me, is because it is out of the range of Iranian short range ballistic missiles.
@dexeve.bsky.social and Brian Carter told me, is because it is out of the range of Iranian short range ballistic missiles.
June 26, 2025 at 8:56 PM
LSA Jenkins is on the western side of Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea. Part of the reason it's there, experts like
@dexeve.bsky.social and Brian Carter told me, is because it is out of the range of Iranian short range ballistic missiles.
@dexeve.bsky.social and Brian Carter told me, is because it is out of the range of Iranian short range ballistic missiles.
Bonus Easter egg: a contractor posted a video of the food at the facility on their website.
June 26, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Bonus Easter egg: a contractor posted a video of the food at the facility on their website.
Speaking of contracting docs, there are a whole bunch that describe the expansion and sustainment of the facility. e.g. www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_A...
June 26, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Speaking of contracting docs, there are a whole bunch that describe the expansion and sustainment of the facility. e.g. www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_A...
The base, known as Logistical Support Area Jenkins, is “near” the city of Yanbu, where imagery and government contracting docs show US naval vessels fighting the Houthis reloaded and resupplied multiple times over the last year or so. (Photo credit Airbus/Google Earth)
June 26, 2025 at 8:52 PM
The base, known as Logistical Support Area Jenkins, is “near” the city of Yanbu, where imagery and government contracting docs show US naval vessels fighting the Houthis reloaded and resupplied multiple times over the last year or so. (Photo credit Airbus/Google Earth)
Many thanks to the dream team of
@ajcardia.bsky.social, Arijeta Lajka, Alyce McFadden, Courtney Brooks, @lazarogamio.bsky.social and so many more for making this happen. 👾 www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/v...
@ajcardia.bsky.social, Arijeta Lajka, Alyce McFadden, Courtney Brooks, @lazarogamio.bsky.social and so many more for making this happen. 👾 www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/v...
Videos That Purport to Show Drones in New Jersey Likely Show Planes (Gift Article)
Here’s why it’s hard to distinguish objects in the night sky.
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
Many thanks to the dream team of
@ajcardia.bsky.social, Arijeta Lajka, Alyce McFadden, Courtney Brooks, @lazarogamio.bsky.social and so many more for making this happen. 👾 www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/v...
@ajcardia.bsky.social, Arijeta Lajka, Alyce McFadden, Courtney Brooks, @lazarogamio.bsky.social and so many more for making this happen. 👾 www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/v...
But that doesn't mean they're not out there! If you have one you're positive about, send it our way. I'd be really curious to see it. 👽👽👽
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
But that doesn't mean they're not out there! If you have one you're positive about, send it our way. I'd be really curious to see it. 👽👽👽
Indeed, we reviewed hundreds of videos with the help of experts and flight tracking apps. We were not able to confidently identify a single drone.
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
Indeed, we reviewed hundreds of videos with the help of experts and flight tracking apps. We were not able to confidently identify a single drone.
And sometimes you can get extra lucky and match up the light pattern on the "drones" to actual aircraft, like this Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
And sometimes you can get extra lucky and match up the light pattern on the "drones" to actual aircraft, like this Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Or, my personal favorite because it's so eerie, this colossal C-17 that did a pretty low and slow flyby of Brick Township.
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
Or, my personal favorite because it's so eerie, this colossal C-17 that did a pretty low and slow flyby of Brick Township.
Like this X-files-esque video of an apparent drone which is, in fact, a small passenger jet heading to Newark.
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
Like this X-files-esque video of an apparent drone which is, in fact, a small passenger jet heading to Newark.
Well, when all else fails, there are the good old flight-tracking apps like @flightradar24.com. While these are not infallible, the vast, vast majority of the UFOs we reviewed were airplanes that appeared on these apps.
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
Well, when all else fails, there are the good old flight-tracking apps like @flightradar24.com. While these are not infallible, the vast, vast majority of the UFOs we reviewed were airplanes that appeared on these apps.
But what if you think you see a drone and you can't remember all those lighting rules and optical illusions?
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
But what if you think you see a drone and you can't remember all those lighting rules and optical illusions?
Drones flying at night, by contrast, are only required to have a single strobe light (though DJI, a very popular drone manufacturer, builds their drones with two red lights on the front and two green lights on the back of their drones). PC: Tombo Jones/Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership
December 20, 2024 at 2:25 AM
Drones flying at night, by contrast, are only required to have a single strobe light (though DJI, a very popular drone manufacturer, builds their drones with two red lights on the front and two green lights on the back of their drones). PC: Tombo Jones/Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership