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Iranian strikes caused wider damage to US bases than disclosed, prompting a Pentagon review of its Middle East footprint amid continuing regional tensions.
A man watches an Iranian missile that fell into an agricultural land in the area of Najha (Photo: AFP)
Iranian missile and drone attacks caused significantly more damage to US military installations across the Middle East than had previously been disclosed, prompting the Pentagon to reassess its military footprint in the region, a Wall Street Journal investigation has found.
According to the report, the attacks damaged at least 20 US sites, including the Navy’s key base in Bahrain, leading military officials to consider relocating some facilities farther from the reach of Iranian missiles and drones.
The report mentioned that Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, America’s only naval base in the Middle East, sustained extensive damage during repeated Iranian attacks between late February and June.
The strikes hit the base’s command headquarters, at least a dozen other buildings and two satellite communications terminals.
The US military has maintained that no personnel were killed at the base and that the attacks did not significantly disrupt operations.
The report mentioned that while most personnel were evacuated, a small US staff had remained on the ground.
The findings come as Iran launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait following new US airstrikes on the Islamic Republic.
Bahrain reported damage to a residential building near its international airport, while noting that the building was not near the headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.
Meanwhile, the US military is now considering major changes to its regional posture, the Wall Street Journal report mentioned.
According to officials familiar with the deliberations cited by the report, the Pentagon is evaluating revamping the Bahrain base, reducing the US military presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and moving some bases or military functions farther west, beyond the effective range of Iranian missiles and drones.
The report said structures damaged in the attacks may not be rebuilt. Instead, command-and-control facilities could be relocated underground, while military capabilities may be dispersed across multiple locations.
However, officials cautioned that no final decisions have been made.
Israel is among the locations being considered for future basing, according to two officials quoted by the report.
REBUILDING COULD COST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
The report also examined the financial impact of the damage. It reported that Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst told Congress last month that the department’s estimated $29 billion cost of the war did not include damage sustained at US military bases.
Based on a review of publicly available Defence Department cost models and procurement reports, the report estimated that rebuilding the damaged structures at NSA Bahrain alone would cost around $400 million.
The newspaper noted that the estimate covers only construction and excludes expenses such as debris removal or additional fortification.
It added that the Centre for Strategic and International Studies estimated the overall cost of the war at about $40 billion, including between $2.2 billion and $5.1 billion in damage to US military bases across the region.
The conflict highlighted the growing vulnerability of long-established US military facilities in the Gulf.
The report said NSA Bahrain was built before Iran developed its current arsenal of precision missiles and drones.
It added that military officials had previously warned that Gulf bases were increasingly exposed, and that proposals to shift installations farther west had been discussed during President Donald Trump’s first term but were never implemented.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that the conflict has continued to affect regional security and diplomacy.
Iran has threatened a “complete halt” in negotiations if US attacks continue, while discussions involving the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief and Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile are expected to resume.
About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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