The US Navy’s crown jewel in the Persian Gulf, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, home to the Fifth Fleet since 1995, took direct hits from Iranian missiles and drones on February 28. Now Washington is doing something it hasn’t seriously considered in decades: questioning whether keeping major military assets within striking distance of Iran still makes strategic sense.
Multiple structures at the base in Bahrain’s Juffair district were damaged in the attack, with satellite imagery revealing extensive destruction that extended beyond the military perimeter, sending debris into civilian areas. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility, framing the strikes as retaliation for prior actions by the US and Israel.
The scope of the damage
The Wall Street Journal and corroborating satellite analysis have painted a picture of significant destruction at the Bahrain facility. Multiple structures within the naval support activity were hit, and the repair bill for US facilities affected across the broader conflict is estimated in the billions of dollars.
The 2026 Iran conflict has seen over 200 targets struck across Gulf states, turning what was once considered a stable rear-area for US military operations into something closer to a contested battleground.
