US Considers Relocating Military Bases From Gulf to Israel Amid Iranian Attacks

The United States is reevaluating its military deployment in the Middle East following extensive damage to at least 20 American sites caused by Iranian missile and drone attacks, with the central US Navy base in Bahrain suffering significant harm. Between late February and June, Iran repeatedly targeted the naval support base in Bahrain, the only US Navy base in the region, damaging the Central Command headquarters, over a dozen other buildings, and two satellite communication terminals. Although there were no casualties and operations were not severely disrupted, most personnel were evacuated, leaving only a small contingent on site.

The Pentagon is now considering a major restructuring of its presence in the Gulf, including reducing forces in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, relocating key command centers to fortified underground bunkers, and dispersing military capabilities over a wider area to reduce vulnerability. One of the potential new locations for relocated bases and command functions is Israel, though no final decisions have been made. This plan echoes proposals from President Trump's first term that were never implemented.

The financial cost of repairing the damage and adapting the US military posture is expected to reach hundreds of millions of dollars. The Pentagon's war cost estimates, previously at $29 billion, did not account for base damages. Independent analyses estimate the total war cost at around $40 billion, including $2.2 to $5.1 billion in damage to US bases across the region. US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins defended the operational strategy, emphasizing prioritization of personnel safety over infrastructure, noting that despite over 8,000 Iranian missile and drone launches, only two resulted in US casualties.