US Navy base in Bahrain repeatedly targeted in Iran war - report
Pentagon reassessing Middle East footprint following extensive damage to Bahrain naval base; Israel being assessed as option for relocation
The United States military is weighing a significant restructuring of its presence across the Middle East after Iran-linked strikes caused widespread damage to American installations in the region, including its only naval base in the area, according to a Wall Street Journal investigation.
The US Navy's base in Bahrain — Naval Support Activity Bahrain — was struck repeatedly between late February and June, with satellite imagery, social media footage, and interviews with current and former service members revealing damage to the command headquarters, at least a dozen other buildings, and two satellite communications terminals, the Journal reported. The Pentagon has not publicly acknowledged the extent of the destruction.
According to the report, US Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins defended the military's approach, stating, "Centcom rightfully prioritized the protection of people over buildings, and our strategy of protecting people worked. Iran shot more than 8,000 missiles and drones, and only two hits resulted in US fatalities." Hawkins added that American forces struck more than 13,500 targets during the conflict, inflicting significantly greater damage than they sustained.
With at least 20 US sites across the region, including military installations and diplomatic facilities, having sustained hits, officials familiar with internal discussions say Washington is now re-examining its overall military posture in the Middle East. Options under consideration include upgrading the Bahrain base, scaling back personnel in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and repositioning certain base functions westward, away from the range of Iranian projectiles.
Additional measures being deliberated include moving command and control infrastructure underground, leaving damaged structures unrebuilt, and dispersing military capabilities more broadly across the region, though officials cautioned that no final decisions have been reached, according to the report.
Israel is among the locations being evaluated as a potential basing site, according to two officials cited by the Journal. The country accommodated dozens of US aircraft during the conflict, including fighter jets and aerial refueling planes.
Separately, the US government moved in April to limit public access to commercial satellite imagery depicting damage at American bases and across the broader conflict zone. Officials stated the restrictions were intended to protect US forces in the field.