US weighs shifting Gulf bases after strikes

The United States is contemplating a significant shift of its military presence in the Middle East, potentially relocating assets westward, possibly to Israel. This reassessment follows Iranian missile and drone strikes that have exposed critical vulnerabilities at forward-deployed bases across the Gulf, according to media and think tank analyses.

These reported strikes, which occurred after the commencement of US-Israeli bombing campaigns in Iran, are said to have impacted multiple American and allied military installations. While a full accounting of casualties and damage remains undisclosed, initial estimates suggest substantial disruption. The Wall Street Journal reported that Naval Support Activity (NSA) in Bahrain, the headquarters for the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, sustained damage to various facilities, including the command building, barracks, and a water tank. Estimates place the damage at approximately $400 million.

The attacks have spurred internal discussions within the US administration regarding a potential reshaping of its military posture in the Gulf. Options under consideration include enhancing hardened facilities, relocating key command centers underground at NSA Bahrain, and potentially not rebuilding certain damaged structures. Washington is also evaluating its presence in other Gulf states like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, with discussions focusing on moving certain military assets further west.

Early-stage planning has reportedly examined Israel as a potential location, where US military aircraft have allegedly been stationed since the conflict's escalation. Independent assessments suggest that Iranian strikes caused approximately $5 billion in damage across 70 structures at 11 US military installations in seven countries. The scale and spread of this damage may necessitate not only extensive rebuilding but also the selective abandonment or relocation of vulnerable facilities, given the escalating risks associated with sustained missile and drone warfare against fixed bases.