After Iranian strikes, U.S. weighs shifting forces in the Middle East

The United States is reexamining its military posture in the Middle East after Iranian attacks damaged at least 20 American sites during the war, including military bases and diplomatic facilities, according to a Wall Street Journal investigation published Friday. One option under discussion is moving some bases, or parts of their missions, farther west, with Israel also being considered as a possible location for U.S. forces or capabilities.

The review reportedly includes reducing the American footprint in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, upgrading the naval base in Bahrain, moving command-and-control centers underground, and spreading military assets across more sites to make them less vulnerable to Iranian missiles and drones. Officials stressed that no decisions have been made yet.

Two people familiar with the matter said one option is expanding the U.S. military presence in Israel. During the war, Israel hosted dozens of American aircraft, including fighter jets and refueling planes, making it one of the alternatives now on the table.

The Bahrain naval base, which serves as the U.S. Navy’s regional hub in the Middle East, was hit by Iranian missiles and drones between late February and June, causing extensive damage that the Pentagon did not disclose publicly, the report said. The strikes damaged the base headquarters, at least 12 other buildings and two satellite communications terminals. U.S. military officials said no one was killed there and that operations were not significantly affected, while most personnel were evacuated and a small contingent remained. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said the U.S. prioritized protecting lives over infrastructure, and noted that Iran fired more than 8,000 missiles and drones at American targets, while the U.S. struck more than 13,500 targets in Iran.

In April, Washington also restricted the release of satellite images showing damage to American bases, saying it was meant to protect troops. Pentagon officials also withheld the cost of the damage from Congress. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated this week that damage to U.S. bases during the war totaled $2.2 billion to $5.1 billion, while the Journal estimated rebuilding only the damaged buildings at the Bahrain naval base would cost about $400 million, excluding debris removal, infrastructure reinforcement and other related expenses.