Iranian missile and drone attacks inflicted far greater damage on US military installations across the Middle East than was previously disclosed, prompting the Pentagon to reconsider the future of its military footprint in the region, according to a Wall Street Journal investigation.
The report said at least 20 US military sites were damaged during the attacks, including the Navy's strategically important base in Bahrain, raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of American installations within range of Iran's expanding missile and drone arsenal.
Among the hardest-hit locations was Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, the US Navy's only permanent base in the Middle East.
According to the report, repeated Iranian strikes between late February and June damaged the base's command headquarters, at least a dozen other buildings and two satellite communications terminals.
Although the Pentagon has maintained that no US personnel were killed and military operations were not significantly disrupted, the report noted that most personnel had been evacuated before the attacks, with only a small contingent remaining at the base.
The findings come after Iran launched fresh missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait following recent US airstrikes on Iranian territory.
Bahrain also reported damage to a residential building near its international airport, though authorities said it was not close to the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.
The scale of the damage has reportedly triggered a review of Washington's long-term military posture in the Gulf.
Citing officials familiar with the discussions, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon is considering redesigning the Bahrain naval facility, reducing troop deployments in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and relocating some military assets farther west—beyond the operational range of Iranian missiles and drones.
Officials are also examining whether damaged facilities should be rebuilt at all. Instead, key command-and-control centres could be moved underground, while critical military capabilities may be spread across multiple locations to reduce vulnerability.
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