Pentagon considers moving U.S. bases in Gulf after 274 buildings damaged

The United States Department of Defense (the Pentagon) is considering relocating military bases or some of their missions in the Middle East to sites farther west, beyond the range of Iranian missiles and drones, and reducing the U.S. military presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. This follows a recently published analysis of satellite imagery that found at least 274 buildings across 24 U.S.-linked military facilities in the region were damaged by Iranian strikes, according to U.S. officials familiar with the deliberations.

274 buildings damaged across 24 facilities

According to the analysis, which relied on satellite imagery and statements from U.S. officials, the Department of Defense estimates the cost of damage to the military facilities at no less than $5 billion, while another assessment raises it to about $15 billion.

The analysis noted that some strikes hit service members' living quarters, one of which resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members, and that U.S. forces were forced to evacuate part of their personnel from bases in Kuwait after the strikes.

Bahrain base tops list of damaged facilities

The U.S. Naval Support Activity in Bahrain, headquarters of the Fifth Fleet, sustained extensive damage including to the command building and a number of other structures. The cost to rebuild the damaged buildings there is estimated at about $400 million.

Redeployment options

According to officials, options being considered include rehabilitating the Bahrain base and not rebuilding some destroyed buildings, moving command-and-control centers to underground facilities, reducing the presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and relocating some bases or their missions westward, with Israel among the locations being considered to host U.S. forces.

Also read: U.S. military reduces its presence at Middle East bases amid Iranian threats