US Military Bases in Bahrain and Jordan Devastated by Iranian Strikes
US military installations in Bahrain have suffered severe damage due to battles with Iran over recent months. This was acknowledged by the Acting US Navy Secretary, Hung Cao, prompting Washington to evaluate the presence of its headquarters in the Middle East.
“They blew the hell out of Bahrain,” stated Hung Cao in an interview with The Epoch Times on Wednesday (9/9). This statement represents a rare official admission regarding the impact of the conflict on key US facilities amidst rising tensions in the Gulf.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to the admission via the X platform. “We appreciate the honesty of Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao. Our Armed Forces truly destroyed the 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and other bases that support US aggression,” he wrote.
Open-source data indicates that the Naval Support Activity (NSA) base in Bahrain was hit by retaliatory strikes after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in late February. The base is reported to have been targeted repeatedly between February and June.
An investigation by The Wall Street Journal, analysing satellite imagery and social media footage, concluded that Iranian attacks caused widespread damage that was initially unacknowledged by the Pentagon. The command centre and at least a dozen other buildings within the facility were seriously impacted.
US Navy Admiral Daryl Caudle stated earlier this month that NSA Bahrain would not return to operational status in the near future. This damage has also affected the operations of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, as the crew lacks docking facilities, subsequently triggering a mental health crisis among sailors due to extended deployments.
In addition to Bahrain, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also launched missile attacks on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, known as the Al-Azraq base. These attacks targeted locations used for the preparation of F-35, F-16, and F-15 fighter jets.
Although the Jordanian armed forces claim to have intercepted 18 out of 20 missiles, reports from CBS News indicate that several US military aircraft sustained damage. One A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft was reported to have lost a wing, while eight F-15 jets suffered minor damage.
Al-Azraq base is a vital US asset located approximately 100 km from Amman. Iran claims to have attacked this base more than 10 times between March and September, including an attack on 17 July confirmed by Centcom that killed two US soldiers.
A report from the US Congressional Research Service in May noted that 42 US military aircraft have been lost or damaged in this conflict. Since the war began in February, 18 US soldiers have been killed and more than 800 others wounded.
An analysis by the BBC in June showed that Iran has damaged at least 20 US military sites across eight Middle Eastern countries.
The situation in the Middle East has become increasingly critical after Iran launched retaliatory attacks on US military facilities, triggering emergency alert statuses in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Kuwait has accused Iran of targeting civilian infrastructure after airstrikes hit power plants, water facilities, and oil refineries amidst the escalation of war.
Kuwait and Bahrain have reported new drone attacks from Iran targeting military bases and civilian facilities amidst tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.