Iranian missile and drone attacks have caused "unprecedented damage" to US intelligence facilities and surveillance equipment across the Middle East, NBC News reported Tuesday.

Citing four people with knowledge of the matter, the report said the attacks damaged buildings and intelligence-gathering equipment used by the CIA and other US spy agencies.

The damage is expected to require billions of dollars to repair or replace, said the report.

The scale of the destruction is described as greater than any damage previously sustained by US intelligence agencies, the sources said.

Tensions in the Middle East have heightened since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran in February. In response, Tehran retaliated with strikes in regional countries hosting US assets.

Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June under Pakistani mediation aimed at ending their war and reaching a lasting peace agreement.

Talks, however, have since broken down amid ongoing disputes over the memorandum’s terms and navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy exports. (AA)