The United States is conducting a broad reassessment of its military posture in the Middle East following extensive Iranian missile and drone strikes that caused far greater damage to a key American naval base in Bahrain than has previously been disclosed publicly, according to a Wall Street Journal investigation.

The investigation, based on satellite imagery, verified videos, interviews with current and former U.S. officials, and military experts, provides the most detailed public account to date of the destruction inflicted on Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain—the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and America’s most important naval base in the region.

According to the report, Iranian strikes repeatedly hit the installation between late February and June, damaging or destroying command facilities, communications infrastructure, warehouses, military buildings, living quarters, and logistical support facilities. While the Pentagon previously acknowledged the base had been struck, the Journal found the scale of the destruction was significantly greater than publicly disclosed.

No U.S. personnel were killed in the attacks. The Navy had evacuated most personnel before the strikes, leaving only a small contingent at the base.

The damage has now prompted senior Pentagon officials to reconsider America’s long-term military footprint across the Gulf.

According to the Journal, the U.S. is considering rebuilding portions of the Bahrain base while reducing its military presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and shifting some operations farther west, placing them beyond the reach of many Iranian missiles and drones.

Among the locations under consideration for some relocated American military capabilities is Israel, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the discussions.

Military planners are also evaluating whether some damaged facilities in Bahrain should be rebuilt at all. Instead, officials are considering dispersing command functions, relocating critical infrastructure underground, and moving additional military assets farther from Iran.

The Journal found that at least 20 U.S. military installations across the Middle East sustained damage during the conflict, with Bahrain—located less than 150 miles from Iran—among the hardest hit.

Satellite imagery reviewed by the newspaper shows damage throughout the installation, including the waterfront operations area, the main administrative compound, and warehouse facilities.

Among the most significant losses was part of the Fifth Fleet headquarters building, which officials say is no longer usable. The headquarters alone reportedly cost approximately $200 million to construct.

The investigation also documented the destruction of the Naval Security Forces training building, severe damage to communications facilities, emergency management infrastructure, satellite communications terminals, water systems, barracks, and numerous warehouse complexes.

Several of those warehouses housed Task Force 59, the Navy’s pioneering artificial intelligence and drone warfare unit responsible for integrating unmanned systems into maritime surveillance operations across the Middle East.

Despite the losses, U.S. Central Command successfully protected the overwhelming majority of American personnel. During the conflict, U.S. forces intercepted more than 8,000 Iranian missiles and drones while striking over 13,500 targets inside Iran. Only two American service members were killed in combat during the war.

Former military commanders told the Journal that while the Fifth Fleet is expected to remain headquartered in Bahrain, its structure and mission could change significantly as the Pentagon reshapes its regional posture.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently reaffirmed America’s security commitment to Bahrain, emphasizing continued U.S. support for regional stability, freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The Pentagon’s decisions on what to rebuild, what to relocate, and whether to move additional military capabilities to Israel and other locations farther from Iran are expected to shape the U.S. military presence in the Middle East for years to come.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)