WSJ Investigation: Iranian Strikes Did Far More Damage to U.S. Bahrain Base Than Admitted

A visual investigation by The Wall Street Journal says Iranian missile and drone strikes between late February and June badly damaged the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain, the main anchor of American naval power in the Middle East. Based on satellite images, social media videos, and interviews with current and former military officials, the report says the attacks penetrated defenses and hit the sensitive base, which sits less than 150 miles from Iran.

The damage, the report says, was severe enough to shut down Fifth Fleet headquarters and destroy strategic communications facilities. Two advanced AN/GSC-52B satellite terminals and another communications-management site were destroyed, a large warehouse complex was badly damaged, and an aircraft hangar once used by Task Force 59, the Navy unit focused on drones and artificial intelligence, was hit. An emergency warehouse, a central water tank, the main dining hall, and a barracks that could house about 450 personnel were also damaged.

Using a U.S. Defense Department pricing model, the paper estimates rebuilding the physical structures in Bahrain alone at about $400 million, though the total is likely much higher because that figure excludes debris removal, hardening, and the value of destroyed equipment. CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said the command prioritized protecting forces and that, out of more than 8,000 Iranian missiles and drones launched during the war, only two strikes caused fatalities. He added that the U.S. struck more than 13,500 targets in Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, asked about the losses, replied, “What is the price of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons?”

The Pentagon’s current war cost estimate, about $29 billion, does not include base reconstruction, while the Institute for Strategic and International Studies put damage to U.S. bases across the region at $2.2 billion to $5.1 billion. The report says damage at at least 20 other American facilities, including Al-Asad in Kuwait, Al Dhafra in the UAE, and Prince Sultan in Saudi Arabia, is forcing Washington to reassess its regional posture, including the possibility of moving some capabilities to Israel, which hosted dozens of American aircraft and refueling planes during the war.